Crime & Safety
Victim Fleeced Out Of $44,000 In Bay Area Computer Scam
The victim responded to a fraudulent pop-up window to pay an invoice for an anti-virus program.
SAN LEANDRO, CA — The San Leandro Police Department arrested a suspect in connection with grand theft committed via a computer scam.
The victim was defrauded of $44,000. It started innocently enough — a pop-up window told him that he needed to pay for his anti-virus software.
Police Detectives in the Property Crimes/Crime Suppression Unit investigated the case.
The pop-up window appeared on the victim's personal computer. "Through a series of fraudulent transactions prompted by the suspects via remote access to the victim’s computer and over the phone, the victim was defrauded of $44,000," the police department said. "The victim eventually realized he had been scammed and reported the crime to SLPD."
Investigators tracked leads that led to one of the suspects believed to be involved in the scam.
On Wednesday, the suspect was taken into custody in Castro Valley and a search warrant was later executed at the suspect’s residence in San Lorenzo. The search warrant yielded evidence and an unregistered firearm.
"SLPD would like to remind our community to be constantly vigilant towards suspicious phone calls, text messages, e-mails, or other forms of electronic notification. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and polished in their methods of defrauding victims of their money."
Police warn that residents need to cautious when notified of a problem requiring immediate action or a monetary prize.
"Scammers often pretend to be from an organization or company that you are familiar with and will typically require an unusually specific form of monetary transaction from you."
The police department recommends that you independently verify the authenticity of any suspicious communication and avoid using any phone number or web link contained in the communication itself.
More tips on how to spot a scam and how to avoid becoming a victim on on the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
Also See:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
