One of our members in the Village recently received a Ransom scare in the form of an email.
See a copy of the email Here.
At least one other resident received the same scam. Perhaps the scammers are picking retirement communities to attack. The recipient has no idea how the scammer got the email address. The incident was reported to the Loudon Sheriff, and a deputy stopped by to record the information. The incident was also reported to the FBI at www.IC3.gov.
Ransomware encrypts your computer and then demands that you pay a fee to restore access to your applications and files.
Sometimes, as in this case, the threat was bogus, a fraudulent attempt to get money. Such threats are increasing and may take different forms. The best response is to ignore the appeal for money, shut down your system, and unplug your machine for a few hours. The incident should be reported to the fraud unit of the local sheriff office. You should also block the internet attack address, if you are able to do so.
