Phone scam targets local residents

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The callers are hard to understand, the numbers are strange, and red flags start waving immediately. That's how two Lafayette women described recent phone calls they've received.

"I said, 'This is a bunch of phoney-bologna'," said Lafayette resident, Debbie Morgan.

When Morgan heard her talking caller I.D say the numbers: 9-2-2-6-8, she knew something wasn't right. When she answered, somebody with a heavy accent told her he was from Microsoft and her computer was in trouble.

"He said, 'Your computer has been sending infected messages to other computers'," said Morgan.

Morgan said after she made her husband listen to the man's warning, they hung up. She suspected they wanted private information off her computer.

Gail Huff received the same call three times herself. She said the first time, the caller wanted to remotely access her computer so she hung up. After the second call, she decided to dig deeper.

"I asked, well, 'What's your phone number? I'll call you back.' He put me on hold and he got the phone number. When he gave the phone number to me, rather than reading it by three digits the three digits, he read it two by two by two," said Huff.

Huff said when she called the number, she got an automated answering machine. So, NewsChannel 18 decided to call. When they picked up, we couldn't understand them. Then suddenly, the line dropped off.

Huff decided to call Microsoft. She said they told her the company doesn't call anybody unless a customer requests it. They told her they've had reports of scammers putting a virus on computers, then asking for $300 to remove it.

Both Huff and Morgan want to share their story so no one is burned by these scammers.

"They could have their computer damaged or someone could take advantage of them," said Huff.

Morgan and Huff said if you do get called and have any doubt in your mind it's a scam, call the real company or hang up.