On July 23, 2025, at approximately 3:36 PM, a 74-year-old resident of Brown Road in Crossville reported an incident of attempted identity theft to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Stephanie Pencka responded to the report.

The victim stated that she received a pop-up on her computer, purportedly from Microsoft, warning of a virus and prompting her to call a provided number. Upon calling, she spoke with an individual with a British accent who claimed to be a Microsoft representative, provided a name and badge number, and alleged that her computer contained malicious software and child pornography, which the victim denied.

The scammer also claimed someone in Mexico was using her Social Security number to rent an apartment. The victim was instructed to download a remote access program, allowing the scammers to access her device, and was asked about her bank account balance, which she disclosed. The scammer then directed her to withdraw $20,000 from her bank while keeping them on the phone.

Recognizing red flags, the victim disconnected the call and reported the incident. Deputy Pencka advised her to notify her banking institutions, credit bureaus, and the Social Security Administration about the potential compromise of her information and to disconnect her computer from Wi-Fi and have it checked by a technician.