Call Kurtis: Antelope senior scammed out of her life savings
ANTELOPE — One Sacramento County resident said she's a widow with no children, and after getting scammed out of $4,000, the 76-year-old said she has no money to pay her rent or bills.
It started with a call from someone posing as Microsoft instructing Antelope resident Antionette to go to the bank and withdraw money, and then buy gift cards. She said the person stayed on the phone with her.
The Microsoft scam typically involves someone claiming your computer has been hacked and they can assist getting you back on track. Once you share numbers on the back of the gift cards, your money is long gone.
These crooks live all over the world and it's next to impossible to get your money back.
I found a resource online called, needhelppayingbills.com. It has a long list of resources for each county for seniors and parents. That includes government programs and nonprofits. Some offer emergency grants to get you through the month.
In Antionette's case, she needed help before her next social security check arrived.
I worry about seniors who get called up or find an email saying their computers are hacked. Please warn every senior you know about this scam. You should never wire money, pay by gift card, or give bank account information to anyone who contacts you out of the blue.
