LORAIN, Ohio — We have a warning about a scary and sophisticated scam that’s taken one local victim for tens of thousands of dollars. She called the News 5 Investigators to help tell her story and to warn you to be careful.
The 71-year-old from Lorain didn’t want to be identified. She fears retaliation from the criminals.
IT STARTED WITH A POP-UP MESSAGE
This all started when she was online on July 17. Her computer screen went black, and a pop-up message appeared.
“That’s when it said to call Microsoft,” the victim told us.
A criminal posing as the company said she had child porn and gambling issues on her computer. Plus, someone was trying to get into her bank account.
The victim said he stayed on the phone as she went to her bank. He told her to lie about withdrawing $30,000 in cash and say she was remodeling her home.
“The bank manager said, 'What do you need it for?' and I told him exactly what I was supposed to say,” said the victim.
Chase Bank sent a statement saying, in part, that employees and police “…will never coach you to lie about your transactions.” [full statement below]
THE HAND-OFF WORTH $30,000
The victim put the cash in a shoebox and walked to the parking lot of a nearby Kohl’s store. The scammers said she had to do this to put the money into a secure account.
She said she was told to look for an older, light-green SUV with boxy windows, and that the guy would have a code number.
She told us an Asian man, around 5 feet, 5 inches tall, early 20s, medium build, had the code, took the box, and that was the last she saw her money.
She filed a police report.
“An officer went and checked and they don’t have cameras on that side (of Kohl’s),” she told us. “So, evidently either they’ve done this before and they knew that?”
WATCH OUT FOR THE RED FLAGS
Ericka Dilworth, VP of operations for the Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland, told us the computer pop-up scam continues to hit our area.
“They’re trying to play on your emotions of that moment of, 'Oh my goodness! This is all happening and I don’t know anything about it,'” said Dilworth.
She told us everyone should watch out for people asking for cash, money transfers, gift cards, or wanting you to fill out a check, take a picture of it and send it right away.
“If it’s a legitimate provider, they’re not going to scare you,” said Dilworth. “They’re not going to make you do something right today, right now, right while I have you on the phone.”
The victim said she never thought she was being scammed throughout all the instructions she was given.
“He says OK, we’re going to take and talk to the Federal Trade Commission and put this in an account that nobody’s going to even touch. You don’t have to worry about it,” said the 71-year-old. “These scammers are good…I was afraid of having that much money on me. He said, ‘Oh, that’s OK. I’ll be with you every step of the way.'”
For the victim, her retirement years were supposed to be calm and relaxing, but this has been a big scare you should know about.
“They seemed like they were trying to help me, but instead, they were the scammers,” she told us.
“They were helping themselves,” we said.
“Yes,” she replied.
STATEMENT FROM CHASE BANK:
“We confirmed our branch staff asked this customer questions before the transaction, including what the money was intended for. Our bankers are trained to spot scams, but we need customers to be truthful so they can help protect them. A contact from your bank or law enforcement will never coach you to lie about your transactions.”
– Chase Spokesperson
ADDITIONAL INFO FROM CHASE:
And here are some scam prevention tips:
Be cautious with strangers: Only connect with people you know on social media and be wary of anyone who’s hesitant to meet in person. Do not respond to phone, email, or internet requests for money or personal information, and never click on suspicious links.
Don’t trust caller ID alone: Scammers can “spoof” phone numbers to make it look like your bank, government agency, or law enforcement is calling you. When in doubt, hang up the phone and call the number on the back of your card.
Pause and verify: Scammers rely on urgency and fear tactics. Your best line of defense is to slow down and verify through a trusted channel. If you’re not sure you’re talking to a legitimate representative of your bank, hang up and call the number on the back of your card or visit a branch.
Protect personal information: Scammers may pressure you to share or confirm sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account details.
Don’t send money: Do not respond to phone, text or internet requests for money or access to your computer or bank accounts. Banks will never call, text, or email asking you to move money to “protect your account” or “prevent fraud.”
Be wary of payment requests: If someone you’ve met online asks for financial help, especially through unconventional payment methods, consider it a major red flag. Scammers often use emotional stories to manipulate you into sending money.
Trust your instincts: If something feels off or a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
