CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Borough Police Department reported that a Curwensville resident was the victim of a scam.
According to the report the resident received an email from Microsoft Network. The resident responded and was asked to verify his email account numbers and password. The site he was directed to appeared to be the Microsoft site but was not, according to police.
The resident’s passwords were then used to access his Microsoft account and his information and credit card numbers were obtained. Emails were also sent to the resident’s contacts from his account. In one instance an email said that the resident was stranded in Nigeria and lost his identification. He was required to pay bills and transportation back to the United States, which totaled $3,150.
The resident learned his account was accessed when he was checked on by a friend who received the emergency email about the resident requiring assistance.
Police warn people to use caution as there are a number of scams taking place. Residents are also urged to check their information and search bar when using their computer to ensure that they are on legitimate Web sites and that the site is secure.