Scammers Call Posing As Microsoft Employees To Fix Computer Virus

SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- Residents in Santa Cruz County are warned to be aware of a scam targeting people with Microsoft computers, prosecutors said Monday.

Some residents have reported falling victim to the scam, which involves a suspect pretending to be a Microsoft employee claiming the victim's computer is infected with malware and viruses, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office.

The scammers then ask the victims for remote access to their computers and infect the computer before claiming they have fixed it and ask for payment. The victims report losing up to thousands of dollars in the alleged scam, prosecutors said.

Anyone who may have been a victim to the scam is asked to contact their local law enforcement agency or the district attorney's consumer affairs unit at (831) 454-2050.