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The Chatham County Police Department is alerting the community about a familiar cybercrime that has claimed another victim in our area.
On April 28, 2022, Chatham County Police Department officers took a report from a victim who said the scam started when he received an email stating that an extended warranty had been renewed. The victim didn't want the warranty, called the number on the email, and had his money Refunded. Later he checked his account and found that instead of a refund of a few hundred dollars, he received a refund of $20,000.
Thinking he was doing the right thing, the victim called the number back to report the problem. The victim eventually allowed the scammer to have access to his computer and bank account, and the victim lost a large sum of money.
Residents are urged to be vigilant and to be careful about clicking on links from unsolicited emails. If an overpayment occurs, individuals should contact their financial institution for next steps, and to make sure the funds have actually been deposited. At no time, should anyone ever be given access to your bank accounts. NEVER GIVE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO ANYONE YOU DO NOT KNOW!
The F.B.I is the primary investigator of these kinds of crimes nationwide, and they have put together a list of warning signs to look out for and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim. You can find it here: https://www.fbi.gov/.../common.../business-email-compromise.