Ardglass woman issues telephone scam warning

Ardglass woman issues telephone scam warning

25 January 2012 - by CIARA COLHOUN

AN ARDGLASS businesswoman has warned others to be alert for telephone scammers after she became a fraud victim.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she is embarrassed to have been convinced by a telephone caller to part with her bank details in return for repair work to her computer.

She said she received the telephone call shortly after starting her work last Monday from a caller claimed to represent Microsoft.

He said he was aware that the woman’s computer was running under par and offered to clear up a number of viruses and excess material to improve its performance.

The woman said the caller was so credible that she fol-

lowed his instructions, giving him remote access to her

system and watching her screen change as he worked on her computer.

She said she left her office for a few hours and when she returned she received a telephone call from the company to say the work was done and would cost £280.

It was only after making the payment that the woman became concerned and contacted friends who informed her that the call was part of a scam.

“The reason I believed the caller was because my IT worker had informed me last week that my computer was running very slowly and needed to be sorted out,” she said.

“When I received the call I thought it seemed plausible that my computer did need work because it was not working very fast.

“The reason I am speaking out is to warn other people, because I feel that if I can be convinced to do this then others will also be caught out.

“I have since tried to recover my money but because I offered up my bank details there seems to be little I can do.”

The woman has since become aware of a number of other local people, and at least one school, that has been targeted by similar scamsters.

Following the latest spate of incidents, police have warned that such scams are becoming an increasing problem and have urged the public to be vigilant against bogus telephone calls offering to fix viruses on their computers.

A police spokeswoman said allowing remote access to a computer can result in damage being caused to it, and confidential private and financial information could be compromised and used for criminal purposes.

She said various methods are employed by criminals to get personal information but if a company or individual contacts you and you are unsure or feel that something is not right then ask for their contact details to ascertain their identity. 

Police have advised that personal details never be disclosed to unsolicited callers or via email or online and say legitimate companies will not usually approach you in this way.

Anyone who believes they may have been victim of this type of scam or has any concerns should contact police on 0845 600 8000.

They have also asked people to contact the police about any suspicious cold call.