Kentuckians lose $92,000 in computer virus scams. Attorney general warns others.

The attorney general’s office is warning state residents about a computer virus scam after a Jefferson County victim lost $89,000 and others were targeted.

The Jefferson victim had a fake pop-up window appear on a screen that stated the computer had a virus and users needed to call a 1-800 number, according to Attorney General Andy Beshear. When the victim called the number, a scammer pretended to assist but was only collecting login credentials, so they could steal personal and financial information, the attorney general’s office said.

The victim’s $89,000 has not been recovered, Beshear said.

The attorney general’s office has also received complaints from residents in Fayette, Franklin, Daviess and Johnson counties. The losses total more than $92,000. One Franklin County victim lost $2,900.

In a related scheme, a scammer posed as a Microsoft technician and instructed a victim to buy Google Play cards to pay for technical assistance, Beshear said.

“These scammers won’t clean your hard drive, but they will clean out your bank account,” Beshear said. “Just as we wouldn’t give a stranger a key to our homes, Kentuckians should never give a stranger access to their personal computers.”

The attorney general’s office recommends these tips to avoid computer virus scams:

• If you suspect your computer is infected with a virus or malware, update your security software and operating system or visit a company you know and trust for assistance;
• Don’t call a phone number or click on a link from a pop-up message or unfamiliar email;
• According to the official Microsoft website, Microsoft error and warning messages never include phone numbers;
• Don’t trust numbers even if they display a legitimate tech support business name or phone number;
• Never give a caller remote access to your computer or personal device;
• Never buy gift cards to provide payment to “tech support” callers.

Kentuckians can report scams to the attorney general’s office by filling out the online consumer complaint form.

This story was originally published May 1, 2019 at 12:54 PM with the headline "Kentuckians lose $92,000 in computer virus scams. Attorney general warns others.."