Connecticut woman scammed out of $550K gets money back: US Attorney
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Roughly $500,000 was recovered for the victim of a computer support scam, thanks in part to the U.S. Attorney's Office, which announced the resolution on Friday.
According to the original complaint, an elderly woman was tricked last February, by a computer support scheme that mirrored Microsoft customer support.
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The attorney's office said the woman was convinced to transfer about $550,000 to the scammers through two wire transfers.
The victim and a family member reported the incident to Simsbury police less than two days later, and HSI was brought in to help investigate.
Officials said one of the wire transfers was able to be reversed by the bank and the victim got $221,00 back.
HSI then traced the remaining money and seized it. The attorney's office filed a civil asset forfeiture action to forfeit the money to the government, and worked with the Department of Justice's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section to return the money to the victim.
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MILARS initiated the return of the money on Monday, about a year later.
'As we continue to pursue criminal prosecution of the individuals responsible for this and other computer crimes, it is equally important to ensure that the government uses all of its tools to minimize, and in this case, undo, the financial impact these crimes have on victims. This case represents the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her,' Acting U.S. Attorney Marc Silverman said in a statement.
Silverman encouraged anyone victimized by online scammers to report it to law enforcement, while acknowledging it can be difficult to come forward and admit what happened.
Anyone who believes they've been a victim of a computer support scam should immediately contact their bank or financial institution to request a recall or reversal as well as a Hold Harmless Letter or Letter of Indemnity, and local law enforcement. Also file a detailed complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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