Placer Sheriff's Office warns against recent computer scam

Following three complaints regarding a computer virus scam in recent weeks, the Placer County Sheriff's Office issued a reminder Monday for residents to safeguard themselves from becoming a victim. One victim shared her computer abruptly froze and left a message, allegedly sent by Microsoft, which urged her to contact a specified phone number immediately. According to the Sheriff's Office, the victim assumed it was a legitimate request and spoke with an individual who identified himself as "Nick" from the U.S. Department of Treasury. The Sheriff's Office reported the victim was led to believe she was required to pay "Nick" $20,000 in cash and was pressured into withdrawing an additional $40,000 from her bank. "Nick" advised the victim to place the $20,000 cash into two envelopes, concealed within shoes inside a shoebox, and hand the money to a designated representative at Raley's on Lincoln Way in Auburn. The Sheriff's Office confirmed the victim was only able to get the $40,000 in the form of a check, which "Nick" refused. The Sheriff's Office also confirmed the victim suffered the loss of the $20,000 and continues to be harassed by the suspect, who continues to demand additional funds. Placer detectives are investigating the case and the Sheriff's Office offered the following tips to guard against becoming a victim: Listen to your intuition. If something feels off, it more than likely is. Never give out any personal information. Do your own research to find contact information for the company claiming payment from you. Be on guard, as scams will never go away. There is a new scam being devised every day. Consult people you trust. Consumer.gov also advises: Tech support companies will not call or email about computer problems, so do not give them access to your computer. Do not send money, even if you feel like you know the person or they claim to be a friend or relative. Call the individual they are claiming to be and find out if anything happened. If the individual is telling you to pay them with a gift card, it is a scam. Another common scam The Auburn Police Department also issued a warning Saturday of a scam where individuals are impersonating APD officers and advising victims there is a warrant for their arrest and payment is required to avoid going to jail. Auburn Police reported scammers are also able to call from a phone number which could possibly identify as APD. The police department confirmed it "will never call you on the phone telling you to pay money, go get gift cards, send money orders, etc."