SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a computer scam that cost a man thousands of dollars.
On Thursday, a 76-year-old Salina man reported that on Monday he received a “pop-up” on his computer indicating his computer had contracted a virus and to call Microsoft at the listed phone number, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman,
The subject the victim spoke with advised his computer had been compromised and he was supposed to send money via Bitcoin. The victim also received a call claiming to be from the fraud department of his bank who instructed him to send $15,700 in bitcoin.
On Tuesday, the man went to Kwik Shop at 305 W. Schilling in Salina and purchased $15,700 in bitcoin from the bitcoin machine, which he sent. The victim was contacted a few hours later and advised to send an additional $9,590 and went back to the same machine. The caller advised not to contact the police or his bank as this was an ongoing investigation. On Thursday the victim was told to wire another $24,300 through Wells Fargo. When the victim went to his bank to attempt the transfer it was flagged as fraud and would not go through. Total loss was valued at $25,290.