On Wednesday, November 9, 2016, the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a local resident, who had received a voice message from a man with a heavy foreign accident. In the phone message, the man posed as an Information Technology Specialist and reported that a security breach of their home computer had been detected. He requested that he be contacted at (855) 654-9090, so that the issue be resolved immediately.

After returning the phone call, the resident spoke with a man, who reported that a software, which his company had previously installed on their computer, detected the breach and would need for the machine to be turned on so the issue could be resolved. After refusing to turn it on, it was reported that the man became extremely stern, and continued to request that the affected computer be turned on. Fortunately, the would-be victim refused, hung up on the man and called this office.

Nolan County Investigators followed up on the report and found that it to be a phone scam.

It was reported that after calling the number (855) 654-9090, contact was made with a man who had a heavy foreign accent. While speaking with the man, the investigator made him aware that he had no home computer. The man then asked the investigator if he had a computer at work. After the investigator told him that he did, the man then told the investigator that his business network was showing to have been compromised. The investigator reported that after advising the man the network was secure and was on a government entity, the man immediately ended the phone call.

We want everyone to be vigilant as some of these scams sound real; do not ever give your personal data to some person who calls you, emails you, or offers to fix something for you which you have not requested. Also, be aware that an information technology company that you have not employed, will not call you unexpectedly to notify you of any computer issues or help you with a virus.