New Phone Scam Hits Loudoun

If you get a call from someone asking about about your computer, you could be the victim of the latest scam to hit Loudoun County.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office released information Thursday about a scam in which a caller tries to secure a victim's personal information in order to gain access to their computer by claiming they have information about various software programs on their device.

In one case, deputies said, "a Loudoun resident received a call from an International number. The caller presents themselves as a company that is “receiving signals” from an application on the resident’s computer. The caller then attempts to ask questions in regards to the IP address and password information for the computer that potentially could give them remote access to the computer. In this case, the resident became suspicious of the call and contacted authorities without providing any personal information."

The office said:

• "Never respond to unsolicited requests for personal information received over the phone – even if the request appears to come from a legitimate institution that you do business with."
• "This includes requests to “confirm, verify or update” your information."

Were you a victim of this scam? Contact Detective C. Perinis of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Financial Crimes Unit at 703-777-0475.