Pennsylvania State Police are warning residents about a computer scam that tricks victims into sending bitcoin or other cryptocurrency to scammers posing as Microsoft support personnel.
Most recently, the fraudsters attempted to steal $10,000 from a 79-year-old Dunmore woman, Dunmore state police said in a release.
The “Microsoft Support Bitcoin Scam,” as it is known, presents users with a pop-up message on a computer or cellphone.
The message claims to be from Microsoft Security and warns that a device has been compromised due to viruses or suspicious activity. It instructs the victim to call a toll-free number immediately for support.
Upon calling the number, the victim speaks with an individual who pretends to be a Microsoft technician. They tell the victim their computer was severely compromised and to secure it they need to pay a fee in bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency.
The scammers provide step-by-step instructions to either purchase bitcoin or transfer it to a specific online wallet address. The scammers use high-pressure tactics, including threats that the victim’s device or personal data would be deleted or shared if they don’t act immediately.
“If it feels urgent, threatening, or confusing — it’s likely a scam. Take a breath, verify the source, and never pay with cryptocurrency to resolve a computer issue,” state police concluded.