On 7/22,25, a complainant came to HTPD to report an alleged fraud attempt involving their bank account. They had been contacted through their computer by an individual identifying himself as being from Microsoft. The individual claimed there was an issue with the complainants account and that he owed a $12,000 fine related to pornography.
The individual initially instructed them to contact him at a phone number he provided. He then provided a secondary number stating it was a private line to avoid the call being recorded or intercepted. The complainant complied and called the secondary number.
During the call, they were directed to go to the bank and transfer the funds into a "new account" while remaining on the phone. Upon arriving at the bank, the complainant informed the teller of the situation. The bank employee advised them to hang up the call immediately, which they did. The bank then documented the incident, cancelled the existing account, and issued a new ATM/debit card.
The complainant was advised by both the bank and HTPD that this was a scam. They were instructed to closely monitor all accounts associated with them and were also informed about credit monitoring agencies for further assistance. At this time, no financial loss was reported.