I must confess, I am a jerk! Not only a jerk but a stupid jerk! And for me to admit such a thing is very hard because I have always thought of myself as a woman who was smart and clever. But those days are over! Let me explain why and what happened.

Malcolm had to go to the Cape to pick up his van, so I was alone for a few days with no one but my cats and dogs. This particular Friday night I received a call from someone who told me that my computer was about to crash. Well, I thought that perhaps this wasn’t true but he told me that he worked for Microsoft as a trouble shooter and that he was there to help me. So, I sucked up for this scam!

First he showed me, on my computer screen how my computer was about to crash. Not only that, he showed me several different ways it had been “hacked” and how these hackers had ruined my computer and how it would “crash”É and a lot sooner than later. It was then that he explained that he could fix everything but that it would cost me $500. When I asked him how I was supposed to get him money, he told me to take $500 in cash, and go to a specific Champlain Farms and buy a green MoneyPak card, bring it home, scratch the silver strip on the back and tell him the numbers there. And although I was a little skeptical, I got the $500 in cash and was about to drive to Montpelier and the Champlain Farms on River Rd. and buy the card./ It was then that my 19-year-old grandson, McKinley, arrived home.

He reamed me out and told me that it was a notorious scam and how disappointed he was that I would have fallen for it. And, of course, he told me to put my money back in its little bank. Then, as fate would have it, the guy called back to see if I had gotten the card yet. And I have to tell you that Mac told him off like I have never heard him speak! I did think that this would be the end of it, but oh, no. But first I have to tell you that Mac showed me how this guy convinced me that my computer was about to crash and he fixed all the things that the guy did. And then this nervy guy called back, again!

Needless to say, this time I told him off and I am just glad that it wasn’t recorded because I would never want anyone to know that I could or would speak that way, to anyone! And was that the end of it? Of course not. He called again and again but one time Malcolm was home and he told him off, too. And to date, I haven’t heard from him again. But it may just be a short hiatus!

For me it certainly wasn’t the end. I called the police three times, both banks that we bank with, all my credit cards, my wonderful agent at Edward Jones in Waterbury, the phone company in Waitsfield, which didn’t’ go as well as I would have expected, and the Attorney General’s office who not only didn’t answer but to date, hasn’t returned my calls! And now I am trying to figure out how to make sure that he hasn’t taken what info he has “hacked” and gotten himself another credit card with my name and info.

I received phone calls from each one of my children, all telling me that they couldn’t believe that I could be so stupid! Unfortunately, they were right. And the reason that I am sharing this episode in my life is to be sure that each and every one of you BEWARE! This guy has an accent, perhaps from India. And he said his name was Logan Wayne, which of course, was ridiculous. But my advice is if you get a call from someone who speaks English well but has an obvious accent, and he wants you to send him your money… hang up! None of you have enough time or money to waste!