A telemarketing scam that aims to separate computer users from their financial information has resurfaced, according to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Division of Consumer Affairs. 

The scam involves a cold call from a person claiming to be from Dell, Microsoft or another large computer company. The person then asks to remotely connect to the victim’s computer, followed by the claim they can fix the problem if a credit card number is provided. 

Victims report receiving unsolicited calls from what they believe are foreign call centers. The scam typically involves a scammer cold-calling you and requesting remote access to your computer. If you give the scammer access, they will claim to run a scan, discover a fake virus and then apply high pressure sales tactics to convince you to buy unnecessary anti-virus software or technical services to “fix” your computer.  

Consumer Affairs advises the public to never provide credit card or any personal information to an unknown, unverified caller. If you receive a phone out of the blue about your computer’s security status and requesting remote access – hang up – even if the caller mentions a well-known company or product. Consumer Affairs can be reached at 340-3260.