‘Miss Mirja, Dear, I’m downloading anti-virus programmes on your computer now. Will you pay by debit or credit card?’
‘Sorry? Pay for what?’ I asked.
‘It’ll be £200,’ said ‘Eddie’.
It was a Wednesday morning and it just dawned on me that I had been on the phone to the ‘Microsoft Help Desk’ for what must have been a good hour.
The chap on the other end of the line – ‘Eddie’ – continued to talk to me with this soft voice that was beginning to bother me.
I don’t know why my senses only kicked in then. Perhaps the prospect of parting with my money and card details was needed to finally shake me awake.
I told ‘Eddie’ no and asked him to get out of my computer. I was almost apologetic – I dared not to be rude. I still can’t quite put my finger on how he managed to con me.
Even now, weeks after it happened, I am bewildered as to why I fell for it. I still have no answer. I had never fallen for a scam before and I was absolutely convinced that I never would.
The whole experience lasted less than a good two-hour lunch but the effect it had on me, my mental health and my trust – not just in others but most importantly in myself – is indescribable.
It left me with such a feeling of uncomfortable shame and guilt that I felt I wanted to share my story to break that stigma.
Everything started with this big flashing, noisy,…
