After losing her entire life’s savings and taking out numerous loans to pay someone who she thought was the love of her life, Deb was grateful that—unlike many others with a similar fate—she still owned her home. Recently surviving the emotional and financial wreckage of a romance scam, Deb began the process of rebuilding her life. 

However, unbeknownst to Deb, her recent hardships made her a prime candidate for other insidious schemes. Due to her emotional vulnerability and financial strain, she was the perfect target for other cold-hearted cybercriminals lurking in the shadows of the digital world. 

One morning, a seemingly innocent email claiming to be from Norton Antivirus arrived in Deb’s inbox. With uncertainty as to whether or not she actually used Norton Antivirus, Deb delved into the email a little deeper. Her initial skepticism gave way to concern when she discovered the potential financial burden of a $400 renewal charge. 

“I saw that amount of money and I pretty much freaked out,” said Deb. “I thought, I don’t have this kind of money right now.”

Pressured by mounting debts and depleted savings, Deb promptly dialed the number provided in the email, expecting a quick resolution. However, what followed was a prolonged and labored process. 

Initially, the person on the other end of the call sounded legitimate, reassuring Deb that they would take care of the issue. But things started to take a turn for the worse when they began transferring her to multiple individuals and forcing her to endure endless holds, a common manipulation tactic used by scammers to heighten the emotions of their targets.

“That kind of became the mode of operation, they kept transferring me,” said Deb. “I was getting frustrated. I thought it would take five minutes, and I would be done, but I was on the phone with them for close to three hours. I felt like since I was in it that far, if I just stayed on a little bit longer, it would be over soon.”

After multiple transfers and what felt like an eternity on hold, the scammer explained that he needed access to Deb’s computer in order to remove the software and issue the refund. With frustration mounting, Deb obliged, hoping to put an end to the whole ordeal.

“I’m thinking this is Norton. It is their tech support.” explained Deb. “He needs access to my computer to remove the software.”

After she proceeded to give them access, he told her that it was time to process her refund. 

“Finally,” she thought.

He explained that he would apply it to her credit card on file, and requested that she click on a statement to agree to the refund amount. Right as she clicked, the refund amount simultaneously doubled. Now it appeared that Deb owed them money.

This was when things really started to turn south. Playing on Deb’s empathy and vulnerability, the scammer began to cook up an emotionally manipulative tale, claiming it was his first day on the job and that he was going to get in trouble unless Deb drove to her nearest Walgreens, purchased gift cards for the amount owed, and sent him the numbers on the back.

“I was very skeptical, and yet he kept on insisting. Then he transferred me to someone else, who insisted that his coworker was going to get fired if I didn’t help him out. He told me that all I needed to do was go buy gift cards at Walgreens on the corner of my street,” said Deb. “Now, I had the impression that they knew where I lived.” 

Initially, Deb refused, but that’s when the threats started pouring in. Having given them access to her computer, the scammers began threatening to delete everything. 

Deb thought this might be a ransomware attempt. She had heard about it from her sister-in-law whose computer was held hostage by a hacker who forced her to pay a ransom to get her files back.

“I thought, maybe that’s what this is. I just have to pay them and be done with it,” said Deb. “Part of me is still thinking, ‘this is crazy.’ The other part of me got in my car and drove to Walgreens.” 

Once Deb escaped the confines of her home, a sense of clarity washed over her, granting her a newfound sense of control. 

“I got there and I was sitting in my car outside of Walgreens. I was no longer in my house by myself with no other input. I felt a little more in control,” explained Deb. “I thought, ‘this is my world here. This is my Walgreens and these are my neighbors.’”  

With the scammers still on the line and her newfound sense of control, she firmly refused to comply with his demands. Empowered by her decision, Deb hung up the phone, never to hear from the scammers again.

Unfortunately, after returning home, it did look as though the scammers had done something to her computer. Worried that she might make matters worse if she tried to mitigate the problem on her own, she took her computer to a repair technician. Thankfully, he was able to restore her computer and retrieve all of her files. 

“Oddly enough, I paid him about $300 to reinstate everything.”

Deb’s harrowing experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of online scams and the importance of being vigilant in the digital world. Reflecting on her experience, she now advises others to verify emails by visiting the actual company’s website. 

“If you receive an email like that, go to the actual company’s website and verify what they’re talking about. Don’t call someone without doing your research first,” suggests Deb. “If it’s legitimate, then going to the website and calling the company’s official number is going to get you the right answer.”

The details and events described in this blog are based on Deb’s personal account of her experience. We have shared her story to raise awareness about the dangers of online scams and the importance of vigilance in digital interactions. While certain names and identifying information may have been altered to protect Deb’s privacy, the essence and authenticity of her story remains intact.