SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (KRON) — A scam targeting people with Microsoft computers is circulating in Santa Cruz County, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office.
Some residents have reported falling victim to the scam, which involves a suspect pretending to be a Microsoft employee claiming the victim’s computer is infected with malware and viruses, according to prosecutors.
The scammers then ask the victims for remote access to their computers and infect the computer before claiming they have fixed it and ask for payment. The victims report losing up to thousands of dollars in the alleged scam, prosecutors said.
Anyone who may have been a victim to the scam is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency or the district attorney’s consumer affairs unit at (831) 454-2050.