The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is making the public aware of a computer virus scam that has affected hundreds of people in the area.

The ECSO has received several reports of citizens receiving a pop-up on their computer displaying a Federal Bureau of Investigation seal with a statement implying they were attempting to access child pornography.

The statement further advises that the person who receives this on their computer is required to pay a $200 fee via MoneyPak. It goes on to say that if the money is not paid within 48 hours, that person will be arrested by local authorities and face a sentence of five years and will be on the sex offender registry.

This seal looks official to most people and your computer will be locked, ECSO officials said. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is taking a proactive stance on advising the public of this scam and also offering to attempt to fix the computers of those who have been affected in our area free of cost.

The ECSO has been in contact with the FBI, which has confirmed several reports, and several surrounding agencies.

Anyone with additional questions or information can contact the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office at 754-3449.