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Everyone can relate to how stressful it is when technology goes haywire. Fraudsters are familiar with that emotional response, and they use it to exploit targets and prey on people.
Pop-up ads are already a pain but a pop-up tech scam? Now that’s a pop-up too far. Consumers have experienced a scam where a pop-up window alerts them that their device is having a security issue or that suspicious behavior was detected. They are instructed to call the number provided for help. Please note, real security warnings or messages will never ask you to call a phone number. Let this be the first indicator of a scam!
Consumers who called the number were met with threats and have, in some situations, been extorted for money. For those extorted, victims reported they were threatened with police for the “suspicious activity on their device” and that all could be fixed with the wiring of $10,000. Whatever you do, don’t give the fraudsters any information or money! Hang up and call the company they claim to be from a verified line. For example, if someone is posing as an Apple Tech Support, hang up and call the tech support number provided on Apple’s website to confirm the issue.
If you believe your online banking accounts have been compromised, get in touch with your bank’s customer support team immediately. For Chelsea Groton customers, please contact Customer Care at (860) 448-4200 or via the Chelsea Groton’s website. If a tech support scammer contacts you, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) here.
