Telephone Scam Reported In Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ - Telephone scammers are preying on Santa Cruz County residents, selling bogus malware cures for victim’s computers, then walking away with cash.

According to a Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office Facebook posting, county residents have been reporting a telephone scam where suspects pretend to be a Microsoft employee.

The caller claims that the victim’s computer is infected with malware and viruses and then asks for remote access in order to fix it.

The scammer often then infects the computer before claiming they have fixed the viruses and asking for payment, according to District Attorney Jeffrey Rosell.

Scammers will request payment by credit card, or pre-paid debit card for their technical services.

The DA’s Office says residents who have fallen victim to this scam are reporting losses up to thousands of dollars.

If you have been a victim of this scam, you can contact their Consumer Affairs Unit at (831) 454-2050. Please also file a report with your local law enforcement agency.