Member Alert: Don’t Fall Victim to Tech Support Scams!

Tech support scams have been around online for years. They often come in the guise of a pop-up message on the target’s computer screen, claiming viruses are attacking the device, along with a phone number to call for assistance. The operator then convinces the target to buy hundreds of dollars of tech support services they don’t need.  More recently, scammers cold-call targets and claim to be from a major computer company, indicating that a virus or malware has infected the target’s computer.

How it Works:

• The caller convinces the target that his computer is infected and asks for remote access to the device to fix the problem.
• The scammer’s goal is to gain remote access to your device, and once in, claims to find multiple viruses or malware that they can fix for a fee.
• The scammer will ask for a form of payment, usually a credit card or wire transfer.

What You Should Know:

The Federal Trade Commission reports that thousands of people have lost hundreds of dollars to this scam. Last fall, the FTC shut down a business operating as Global Connect for running this scam, but scammers are again using this company name to target victims.

What You Should Do:

• If you get a tech support call out of the blue, just hang up the phone.
• Never give control of your computer to someone who calls you.

If you feel you’ve been a target report it to The Federal Trade Commission and let others know about it on their scam tracking map.

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