TL;DR: An elderly Connecticut woman wired about $550,000 after a fake Microsoft support alert on her computer led her to scammers who took remote access. She reported it to police within two days. Her bank reversed $221,000, Homeland Security Investigations traced and seized another $328,573, and on February 4, 2025 the Department of Justice processed the return. In total, $549,573 came back.
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What happened in Connecticut
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut press release, a fraudulent alert that mimicked Microsoft customer support appeared on an elderly Connecticut woman's computer. She called the number on screen, the scammers gained remote access to her device, and they convinced her to send money by wire transfer. The total came to about $550,000.
She reported the fraud to the Simsbury Police Department within two days. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) partnered on the case.
How the money came back
- $221,000 was reversed by her bank after the fraud was reported.
- $328,573 was traced and seized by HSI. The U.S. Attorney's Office then filed a civil asset forfeiture action.
- The Department of Justice processed the return on February 4, 2025 through its Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
Add it up and $549,573 of the roughly $550,000 was recovered. The U.S. Attorney's Office called it "the best case scenario, where nearly every dollar taken from the victim was returned to her."
What made this recovery unusual
Most wire fraud is not recovered this completely. What separated this case was speed: the victim reported within two days, the bank acted on its part, and federal investigators traced the remaining funds before they were fully dispersed. For a closer look at why timing matters, read how to reverse a wire transfer scam, and for the device-side steps see tech support scam recovery.
If a pop-up tells you to call 'support'
Do not call the number on a browser alert, and never let a stranger take remote control of your computer. Real tech companies do not display phone numbers in pop-ups. If you have already paid, contact your bank at once and report it to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or FTC ReportFraud. Our guides on remote access scam recovery and how to report a scam to the IC3 walk through each step, and how to protect elderly parents from phone scams covers the family side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much money did the Connecticut victim get back?
$549,573 of about $550,000: $221,000 was reversed by her bank and $328,573 was traced, seized and returned through a federal civil forfeiture.
How did the scam start?
A fraudulent alert mimicking Microsoft customer support appeared on her computer. She contacted the number shown, and the scammers gained remote access and persuaded her to send wire transfers.
Who helped recover the money?
Her bank reversed part of it. Homeland Security Investigations traced and seized the rest, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut and the Department of Justice handled the forfeiture and the return.
What should I do if I fall for a tech support scam?
Contact your bank immediately, disconnect the device from the internet, and report to the FBI's IC3 or the FTC. Reporting within days, as this victim did, gives investigators the best chance.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Justice: U.S. Attorney's Office Returns $328,573 to Victim of a Computer Support Scam (Feb 7, 2025)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- FTC ReportFraud