Tech Serve

Victim Location 11572

Total money lost $300

Type of a scam Tech Support

My computer froze and a message appeared telling me to contact Tech Serve (1-877-411-0254). I did so and was told my computed was attacked and that they can repair and secure it. They used a software service to be able to enter my computer in order to resolve the problem. They installed a Norton anti-virus program and stated that they installed other protections for my entire network. I agreed to pay in several installments of $149.99. Two months later one of their technicians contacted me and told me he had to remove some non-functional software and would refund me the last payment of $149.99. He credited my account $1499.99 and told me he mistakenly added an extra 9 to the figure. He would credit me $50 but asked that I purchase $1300 in gift cards because he could not reverse the transaction. After getting off the phone, I immediately called my bank and closed the account. I went to my branch where it was discovered that what he had actually done was to transfer $1499.99 from my rent paying account to my main account, making it seem that he had credited the account from his company. Repeated attempts to contact the company by mail or email were, naturally, unsuccessful and the company is still operating a website, www.servetechie.com.