A Hudson Valley family has notified local law enforcement that they were recently scammed out of a jaw-dropping amount of cash.

Most of us are well aware that there are scammers in the world that are working really hard to steal from us. Almost every week we share a new warning about a recent scam that's circulating across the Hudson Valley.

Earlier this week we told you about the new IRS Economic Impact Payments text scam which asks anyone looking to collect their payments from the IRS to click on the provided link and give their accurate personal information. This is a SCAM! If you are getting an IRS payment you do NOT need to take any action according to the IRS. Sadly, some folks will still fall for this type of scam and wind up in a position similar to what happened to a family in Putnam County, NY last week.

Stealing Cash
Canva
loading...

Scam Costs Hudson Valley Family

According to a post on the Putnam County Sheriff's Facebook page, a local family has been scammed out of a huge sum of money after they fell victim to a scam involving PayPal. Sheriff Kevin J. McConville posted a warning to residents to beware of a scam that he said was reported on January 13th. He said that the victim reported that they received a fraudulent email that appeared to be from PayPal claiming that an account had been opened in their name and it was charged approximately $400.

SEE ALSO: DMV Debunks Myths Surrounding New York's Mobile ID

Once the victim finished reading the email they called the phone number provided and "unknowingly engaged with a suspect posing as PayPal support". The "support staff" proceeded to convince the victim to grant them access to their computer and personal information to fix the issue. The scam continued to escalate when they allegedly deceived the victim into thinking they needed to withdraw $40,000 from the bank to fix the issue.

Cash Front Door
Canva
loading...

Handed Over $40,000

Unfortunately, the victim complied and gave the cash to an "unknown individual who arrived at their home to collect it" said McConville. The scammers continued to prolong the scam by claiming additional mistakes had been made and demanding even more money. That's when the victim contacted authorities. The Sheriff didn't say if the scammers were identified or if the victim has a chance to get their money back but did say, "We urge everyone to remain vigilant and cautious when receiving unsolicited emails or phone calls. Always verify the caller's identity, and never share personal information or grant access to your devices."

If you think you have fallen victim to a scam, or are being targeted by scammers you are encouraged to report it to your local authorities immediately.

11 Step Checklist to Safeguard Your Business From Cyber Security Threats

Thanks to In Touch's guest Paul Hacker from Axis Insurance Services, here are 11 things that you can do today for your business to ensure it's cyber security.

Gallery Credit: Conor Walsh

Extra Fees All New Yorkers Hate Paying

The five "extra fees" that all New Yorkers hate paying for.

Gallery Credit: CJ/Canva

More From 97.7/97.3 The Wolf