A 70 year old Raymond woman lost nearly $900 in an online scam this week. Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner says the woman got an e-mail that said her Norton antivirus account needed payment and to call the number provided in the e-mail.
“She spoke with a man with an Indian or Middle-Eastern accent who told her he would call her back, and he did,” Wagner says. “He told her she needed to pay for the renewal with Target gift cards.” The woman drove to the Target at 48th and ‘O’ and to the store at 56th and Nebraska Parkway and ended up purchasing gift cards totaling $898.
Wagner says the woman became suspicious after providing the scammer with the gift card numbers and being told to cut the cards up. She told the man she was going to drive to the sheriff’s office. He says the man threatened the woman and she stayed on the phone with him as she drove home. She also allowed the scammer to take over her computer.