Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester Police Department says a Rochester man fell victim to a costly scam earlier this month. 

Police Captain Casey Moilanen said the 70-year-old victim reported the scam Thursday. The victim told officers he received a message on his computer indicating the machine was locked and that he had to call a technician’s number listed in the message on Sunday. 

The man said he tried to get rid of the message by unplugging and plugging the computer back in but the message did not go away. The man said he then called a number on the lock message and was told he needed $18,000 to free up the computer. 

Moilanen said the man then called a number given to him by the fake technician and talked with a person impersonating an employee from Think Bank. The victim said he then sent $15,000 to a New York address on Sunday and sent an additional $3,000 in gift cards to a California address on Wednesday after being told by the scammers he would get the money back. 

The man told officers he then called the scammer back, who told him he had been scammed. Moilanen said the man reported the scam to Think Bank who then referred him to the Rochester Police Department.