Strathcona County RCMP warn residents of computer scam

Strathcona County RCMP want to warn residents of a computer scam that has been circulating and causing citizens to lose thousands of dollars.

Although there is several versions of this computer scam it usually begins with a phone call from a person claiming to work for a software company. They tell the victim there is an issue with their software protection or the company is going out of business and cannot continue providing software support. In both instances they will advise the victim they are entitled to a refund.

The victim is requested to accept the refund by logging on to a pop up pay pal account or allowing the scammer access to their computer. By allowing access to the computer the scammer will either have entry to online bank accounts or in other cases will request ransom in in order to stop accessing the victim's computer.

Prevent being a victim of a computer scam and other financial scams:

• Don’t give control of your computer to a third party who calls you out of the blue.

• Do not rely on caller ID alone to authenticate a caller. Criminals spoof caller ID numbers. They may appear to be calling from a legitimate company or a local number, when they’re not even in the same country as you.

• Online search results might not be the best way to find technical support or get a company’s contact information. Scammers sometimes place online ads to convince you to call them. They pay to boost their ranking in search results so their websites and phone numbers appear above those of legitimate companies. If you want tech support, look for a company’s contact information on their software package or on your receipt.

• Never give your password on the phone. No legitimate organization calls you and asks for your password.