Police: Des Plaines woman scammed out of $15,000

A 79-year-old Des Plaines resident discovered she lost an estimated $15,000 after being contacted by an online scammer, police said Monday.

The victim received an email Nov. 20 from someone claiming to be a Microsoft representative who said she needed to pay $600 to renew computer software, Des Plaines police said in a news release.

When the woman called a phone number included in the email, she was told she’d accidentally been issued a $6,000 refund and that she needed to send the company $4,500 using credit cards and gift cards via a communications app, police said.

The woman subsequently checked her bank accounts and credit cards and discovered the missing money.

People should never send money to strangers when they’re contacted by text, phone or email, Des Plaines police have said.