Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon is warning residents of another scam.
In this one, the suspect(s) somehow caused the victim’s computer to freeze up. The suspect(s) then enabled a pop-up window including a phone number directing the victim to call Microsoft Support. Once someone calls the number, they are told that “Microsoft” is attempting to charge their bank account an amount in excess of $500 as a fee to repair their computer.
These scammers tell the victim that, in order to stop the $500 transaction, they must go to their bank, withdraw $2,500 and bring it to the Chevron gas station in Delcambre. The victims are then directed to deposit the funds into the “Federal Lock Box” at the gas station. The scammers call it a “Federal Lock Box” but it's actually a BitCoin machine, which has a warning on it that once funds are deposited, they cannot be stopped, reversed or refunded.
Sheriff Couvillon is reminding everyone to stay vigilant against scams like these and others while dedicated to assisting individuals who fall prey to these scammers, because people don’t just contact you out of the blue offering money or gifts.
Although many scams originate from third world countries, if you are the victim of a scam, please call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
