As technology changes it only provides new ways in which scammers can try to steal your hard earned money. According to Sweetwater County Sheriff Mike Lowell, scammers are making cold-calls, especially targeting the elderly, telling them that their computer has become infected with a virus, is compromised with malware, or has some other problem. The scammers usually identify themselves as representing a well-known company such as Microsoft, Norton, or McAfee and come up with bogus issues that they charge the victim to supposedly fix. Companies such as Microsoft and Norton do not call people when there are problems or issues. “It’s all just part of the swindler’s strategy to make things sound more convincing,” says Sheriff Lowell. “If you get an unsolicited call like this, just hang up, even if the caller knows your name and address.” It’s also smart to warn elderly family and friends about this and other scams, as they are often the target.
