Norton Antivirus Refund Scam foiled in Martin County

A new scam called Norton Antivirus Refund Scam is doing the rounds, preying on the elderly.

But in one Martin County case, the scam was foiled.

Once the sheriff’s office is involved, the scam has usually already taken place and the money has been sent or wired. This time, however, the mail delivery service noticed something was wrong.

After being tipped off, deputies intercepted the package containing $10,000 wrapped in foil.

The victim in this case is an 80-year-old woman. The sheriff’s office said she was contacted by what they believe to be Norton Antivirus, the software to protect your computer against a virus.

The victim was informed that she was accidentally reimbursed and overpaid by several thousand dollars. The scammer asked him to send the money back so he wouldn’t be sent back.

We are told that this Norton refund scam is becoming increasingly popular.

Victims click on a link and allow the scammer to access their computer remotely…before sending money.

“If we hadn’t intercepted this money, who knows how long it would take for this lady to realize that she was in fact scammed and the money was never going to be refunded to her account,” said John Budensiek, chief deputy of the MCSO.

Some warning signs, investigators said you should check emails and be careful before clicking on any link.

If you are responsible for an elderly person, verify their accounts and set up alerts to know if money is withdrawn.

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