An elderly couple who fell victim to a computer scam was able to recover their money after an investigation by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday, a deputy was called to the Androscoggin Bank in Gray for a report of fraud.
Investigators found that the couple had been targeted by a scam involving a fake virus software rebate.
In the scheme, scammers convince victims they are owed a rebate and persuade them to allow remote access to their computer or cellphone, according to a sheriff’s office statement.
The scammers then create a fake online banking portal that looks legitimate. The supposed rebate is said to be a small amount, but the scammers make it look as though a much larger sum has been mistakenly deposited — for example, showing a $200 rebate as $20,000, said the sheriff’s office.
The scammers then tell the victims to withdraw cash from their real bank account to “return” the overpayment. While the victims follow those instructions, the scammers transfer $20,000 within the victims’ actual accounts to make the transaction seem legitimate.
The scammers tried several methods to collect the money, first asking the victims to purchase Bitcoin. When that failed, they sent a courier to the couple’s home to pick up the cash, according to the statement.
Although reported on Friday, the scam actually began Thursday night. The sheriff’s office said that thanks to the victims’ quick action and the bank’s immediate response, the accounts were frozen before any additional funds were taken.
Working with FedEx, investigators located and recovered the $19,500 that had been sent to the courier. The money has since been returned to the victims.
The case remains under investigation by the Cumberland County Criminal Investigations Bureau.
