Echo News
Computer scam hits Southend
4:43pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012
A COMPUTER scam has taken in people from across Southend.
Southend Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership is warning people about the ruse which could allow fraudsters access to their personal information.
Several residents have received telephone calls from someone claiming to be working for Microsoft or Windows.
The cold‐caller says they have detected a virus on the user’s computer and can tell this by looking at the websites that they have visited.
They have been known to use scare tactics to try to get the recipient to comply with their requests.
Mick Holland, of Southend CDRP, said: “The standard advice for unsolicited calls of this nature is to terminate the call without giving any personal information. The call should then be reported to Consumer Direct on 08454 040506, providing them with as much information as you can.”