GRAHAM COUNTY — After allowing a stranger on the phone to take remote control of her computer, a Graham County woman realized she was likely dealing with a scam and called the authorities.
The woman said she was online searching family history when a pop-up claiming to be from Microsoft occurred, saying her personal information was being stolen on the dark web.
She called to number on the pop-up and man asked for control of her computer. She granted him remote access and her computer froze.
That’s when she called Graham County dispatch and a Sheriff’s deputy arrived in short order. The deputy got on the phone, identified himself and told the man his IP was being tracked.
The man hung up and the victim’s computer was accessible again. The woman said it did not appear that any of her banking information had yet been changed.
The deputy advised the woman to check with her bank to ensure there was no loss of funds, and to have her computer scanned for malware.
