KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. — The Kill Devil Hills Police Department is warning people to be vigilant against online scams after a woman lost nearly $10,000 earlier this month.
The scam happened on Dec. 1 when the 80-year-old woman was browsing the internet and got a "virus alert" warning from Microsoft. According to police, she called the number on the warning message and was told that her identity was compromised and asked for details about her financial institution.
"The victim was transferred to a 'representative' of her bank and was told her bank account was compromised," the police department wrote in a news release.
"The victim was directed to withdraw all the money in the account, purchase gift cards and then provide the gift card information to the 'representative'. The victim was told her money would be kept safe for her and once her identity fraud case was resolved the money would be returned."
Police said the woman complied with the instructions, went to her bank, withdrew $9,800 and bought gift cards from different stores in the area.
According to police, people who live in Kill Devil Hills have reported losses to internet scams totaling around $62,000 to date in 2023. Last month, police said a 70-year-old woman from Kill Devil Hills was scammed out of nearly $30,000 by people impersonating Federal Trade Commission officers.
"Scams, particularly online scams, are particularly difficult to investigate and solve," the police department wrote. "The scammers use throw-away email addresses and phone numbers. They use masking software to hide their location. Their digital footprints are a mirage, virtually impossible to follow."
To protect against scams, police are encouraging people to have awareness, caution and "a perpetual attitude of skepticism" about unsolicited warnings, offers or contact from unknown people.
People responding to any sort of online advertisement can verify the credibility of the seller or buyer by searching for phone numbers, email addresses and names online, police said. People can also keep an eye out for unusual financial activity from clients or customers.
"If you notice any suspicious behavior, take a moment to check in with them," the police department wrote. "For instance, if an 80-year-old senior citizen withdraws almost $10,000 in cash from their local bank, it should raise a red flag."
People can report cyber crimes and fraud by using the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
