Cautionary tale: Peachtree City couple taken for $800K by online scammers

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. - Police in Peachtree City have now sounded the alarm about scams targeting the elderly after a couple there lost more than $800,000.

Peachtree City Police say $835,000 was taken from a couple over three months. 

It all started with a pop-up screen on the man’s laptop, supposedly warning him that his computer had been hacked and to call a phone number immediately.

What police say the couple, who are in their 80s, should have done right away, is turn the computer off and don’t call any number that just pops up on your screen. 

However, once they called, the con artist had them convinced that their bank accounts had been hacked and their money been used for illegal activity and they could get arrested. Police say these criminals are very convincing and had the couple scared and doing things they would not normally do like wiring money and making Bitcoin ATM transactions.

Some tips from police: be wary of anyone soliciting money or gift cards online from you. 

Also, don’t call or text numbers that just popup on your computer screen or in emails. 

Furthermore, police say don’t even answer calls from numbers you don’t know.

That seems extreme, but honestly, just let the unknown caller leave a voicemail. Then it can be decided then if they're legit. 

Finally, if someone is asking for money over the internet, especially large sums of money, sit down and tell a trusted person that’s not part of the transaction. That can be a friend, family member or the police.

FOX 5 talked with the couple today. They are ashamed of being tricked, as you can imagine. In hindsight, they say all the warning signs, all the red flags were there. If you have elderly family members or friends talk to them about online scams and protecting their money. Let them know they have someone to turn to if they should ever have questions or think they are in a jam.