Diane Reynolds said she was caught off guard when someone contacted the Maryland retiree online and said access to her computer had been blocked for safety reasons.
"There was a voice message that was coming on with this that said, 'Don't turn your computer on, don't turn your computer off,'" she told CBS News.
Reynolds was also instructed to call a phone number she was led to believe would provide her with tech support. Instead, she was connected to a scam artist who claimed that hackers had obtained access to her bank account. The only way to protect her money was to convert the funds into bitcoin, the person told Reynolds.
She withdrew her entire bank account balance, which totaled $13,100, and followed the scammer's directions to go to a bitcoin ATM at a nearby gas station. Th

CBS News

Local News in Pennsylvania
Associated Press US News
Local News in Minnesota
Reuters US Top
Raw Story
Idaho Press-Tribune
Local News in Florida
Associated Press US and World News Video
AlterNet