LOCAL residents have been urged to be cautious of cold callers seeking access to their computer after it emerged that a local woman was scammed out of £5,500.
The scam took the form of a man contacting her via phone and stating there was a fault on her phone and computer lines and they needed to run some tests.
It is understood that at the caller’s request the woman logged on to her computer and downloaded a program which enabled the device to be hacked.
It is reported that again, when prompted by the scammer, she then logged onto her online banking.
Meanwhile the scammer instructed her not to switch on her mobile phone as it would slow
the cleaning process on her computer.
A spokesman for Scamwise explained, “Really this was a ploy to prevent text alerts from her bank being seen.
“When she did switch on her phone the bank had been in touch advising of suspicious activity and she realised £5,500 has been taken from her account.”
Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Partnership have urged local residents to never allow a caller out of the blue to
access a computer.
A PCSP spokesman said, “PCSP officers in conjunction with the officers from the banks can deliver a presentation outlining some of the main scams which are relevant at the moment, how to spot them and how to avoid them.
“If your group would be interested in receiving this presentation please contact the PCSP office on 0300 303 1777,” the spokesman added.
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