Letters To The Editor

Buyer Beware:

My name is Judy Leddige and I want to warn the public about a scam that happened to me about two weeks ago.

I had just opened my Chrome book when I saw several tabs showing me a virus had been put on it. My computer was locked so I couldn’t do anything but to call the phone number at the bottom of the monitor. Virus Pros was the name of the business.

I talked to a woman named Kelly. She took my information like name, address, phone number and checking account number. I even asked her if this virus was put on my Chrome book by the company she represented. She denied what I had accused her “business” of doing. It was a coincidence that there was just one phone number to contact to get help with the removal of this virus.

Then I talked with a guy named Sam Williams who was a technology expert. He had another cohort put the following software on my Chrome book: Ultra Viewer, Safetee Soft Anti Malware, Cleaning Utility and Hard Disk Sentinel.

I ended up paying almost $300 for the software products. As soon as I had sent the payment, the virus disappeared. Then I knew that I had been cyber attacked.

I immediately contacted my bank to try to stop the transaction. I had my accounts frozen so the “business” couldn’t take any more of my money either in my savings and/or checking or from my IRA.

Then I contacted the Better Business Bureau and found 12 other individuals who had experienced the very same thing that I am describing to you. The information that I was able to find was that Virus Pros was not an operating business. The phone number and the physical address of the “business” weren’t accurate.

Next, I posted what had happened to me on Facebook so my “friends” would be informed and maybe they would forward my post to their “friends.”

Since there was money involved in this scam, I filled out a complaint form with the Federal Trade Commission. These people inform local, state and national law authorities on my behalf.

Since I acted against the “scammers,” my bank was able to reimburse my financial loss. I have changed both of my bank accounts so I can protect myself against any other cyber attacks.

Now I am trying to get in touch with McAfee so the company can improve their product so it can turn itself ON when my wifi is connected to the Chrome book. I need to physically turn on the VPN instead of it being automatically turned on with the internet connection.

I hope I have thwarted the scammers from coming after other innocent consumers.