Byron woman out $16,900 in scam

(ABC 6 News) – A Byron woman sent nearly $17K to scammers Monday, according to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office.

Capt. Tim Parkin said the 66-year-old called deputies and told them she’d received a message from scammers pretending to work for Microsoft on her iPad.

The scammers asked her to give them permission to check her computer remotely.

Afterward, they called the woman and said she needed to speak to their Think Bank representative.

Another scammer pretending to be from Think Bank told the woman to withdraw 1$18,000 from her account and send it to a QR code in Bitcoin form.

The scammers talked the woman through the process of converting the 1$16,900 she was able to withdraw.

When she sent the money, the scammers ceased communication and the woman eventually called law enforcement.

Parkin recommended that seniors who want advice or support before or after a scam call the elder fraud hotline at 833-372-8311.