A new type of phone scam is making its round's around the Foothill's area.

Scammers will call private, and business numbers claiming to be a technical support worker from Microsoft.

The caller posing as the employee from Microsoft will claim they have tried contacting you on numerous occasions, and want to assist in removing a malicous virus from your computer. They then urge you to download a program which will enable them to remotely connect to, and control your computer.

The scammer will do everything in their power to snare your personal information, such as full name, bank account/credit card number(s), birthdates, social insurance numbers and personal computer information.

Corporal Blair Schneider says these types of calls are common "We get phone scams all the time, all the time throughout the year, usually scammers pose as agents from revenue Canada; claiming you owe them sums of money and threatening that you will be arrested if you are not able to pay them."

Unfortunately Schneider says no call lists are ineffective "These people get the call lists from other companies, or other scammers, they even call random numbers."

There are a few things Schneider suggested to assure you are protected against phone scams "Firstly, assure you know who you are talking too, and never give out any personal information over the phone. Companies and organizations such as Microsoft or The Canada Revenue Agency will never call your personal phone number, Secondly record phone numbers if possible, and report those numbers to your local police department and The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

 

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