TUPPER LAKE — The Tupper Lake Police Department has received several reports of a Microsoft technical support phone scam.

People who claim to be Microsoft technicians are contacting residents to tell them their computer systems are infected with a virus and to ask for permission to access the computer, police said in a press release. Once a victim has given permission, the device is infected with malware that can cause irreversible damage to the system’s hard drive. In many cases, police said, the scammer then holds the system hostage until the victim agrees to pay a fee.

If scammers have a victim’s credit card and banking information, they may deplete the funds in a victim’s account, according to the release.

Police said people should never give out personal information to anyone that initiates a phone call they did not plan on receiving.

In addition, Microsoft issued a statement that said the company will never initiate any phone calls to offer technical support on a system.

People concerned about their computer being compromised or infected with a virus should bring their systems to qualified repair technicians, the release said.

Additional questions can be directed to a local law enforcement agency.