Fraud Alert: Beware of Tech Support Scams!

Phony calls, pop-up messages, the “blue screen of death.” Americans have lost over $1.5 billion to tech support scams.

How It Works:  

Tech support scams can take various forms:

• A scammer posing as an employee of a well-known tech company calls to say the victim’s computer is sending messages that it has a virus.
• A victim sees a pop-up message on his screen claiming viruses are attacking the device. The message includes a phone number to call for assistance.
• A victim’s screen freezes (known as the Blue Screen of Death) with a phone number and instructions to call a tech support company.

What you should know:   

The scammer’s goal is to gain remote access to your device. Once this happens, he claims to find multiple viruses or “malware” that he can fix for a fee. The scammer then asks for a form of payment, usually a credit card or a wire transfer.

What you should do:  

• Avoid clicking on pop-up notices that say you have a problem with your computer.
• If you get a tech support call out of the blue, hang up.
• Never give control of your computer to someone who calls you.
• Don’t give out your credit card number to someone who claims to be from tech support.
• Don’t give a caller your password; legitimate companies will never ask for it.
• Report scams like this to the South Dakota Attorney General's office (1-800-300-1986) and www.ftc.gov/complaint and let others know about it on our Fraud Watch Network scam-tracking map.

Please be an advocate for cyber safety by sharing this important information with your friends and family!

 

Photo Courtesy of:  alexskopje