Computer Scam

Trading Standards officers in Carmarthenshire are warning residents about a scam that has affected a number of residents recently.

The scam involves the victim being contacted by telephone by a caller claiming to be from Microsoft. They are told that there are problems with their PC and they then offer ‘computer support’ and state that they can fix the problems.

The victim is then told to download a programme that passed remote control of their PC to the caller so that they could install the ‘fixes’.  A charge of £185 is requested over the phone.  However there is usually no issue with the PC.

County council Trading Standards Service manager Roger Edmunds said: “We are advising residents to be on their guard for such calls and not to divulge their bank details to anyone.”

The council’s executive board member for public protection Cllr Pam Palmer said: “People should not give out their bank details or hand over control of their computers to someone who phones them.”