The scammers call from a phone number with an “804” area code and advise victims that their computer warranties or antivirus protection has expired, Arnold said.
The victims are then encouraged to log into a website, such as viewmypc.com or logmein13.com so the scammer may assist in seeing the issues on their computer screen.
When the victim logs on it allows the suspects to access their personal information and install malicious codes to harvest personal information later, Arnold said.
In one incident, a local victim was conned into providing two credit card number over the phone. When the scammer notified them that the transaction didnt’ go through, the victim was asked to send cash through Western Union.
Tips to avoid being scammed:
- Be suspicious of anyone calling your home offering a service you have not expressed interest in.
- Never give unsolicited credit card information over-the-phone
- Do not allow strangers to access your computer
- Routinely monitor your credit card/debit card account statements