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NEVER be conned into clicking on red or orange pop-up windows suddenly claiming a computer virus has been detected.
That’s the money-saving warning shared by tech experts concerned about victims being scammed out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
There were more than 37,500 complaints about fake tech-support scams reported in the U.S. last year alone, according to the .
And victims lost more than $924 million as a result, over the course of 2023.
Tech support scams were the most widely reported kind of elder fraud in 2023, said the in late April.
This type of fraudster may try to trick you with a pop-up window that appears on your computer screen.
For example, it could look similar to an error message from your operating system or antivirus software, said the (FTC).
"Tech support scammers want you to believe you have a serious problem with your computer, like a virus," it added.
"They want you to pay for tech support services you don't need, to fix a problem that doesn’t exist.
"The [fraudsters] often ask you to pay by wiring money, putting money on a gift card, prepaid card, or cash reload card, or using cryptocurrency or a money transfer app because they know those types of payments can be hard to reverse."
When it comes to the scam pop-ups, the message in the window will pressure you to urgently call a phone number to get help.
But the tech gurus at have noticed an obvious sign pointing to the fakery.
"These notifications [are] usually alarmingly red or orange in color," its website said.
"If you get this kind of pop-up window on your computer, don’t call the number," urged the FTC.
"Real security warnings and messages will never ask you to call a phone number."
However, they might claim there is an issue with something other than a computer virus.
The problem is, the scammer controls that new account and quickly cleans it out.
FTC
These tech scammers also use fake security pop-ups to claim someone hacked your bank, investment, or retirement account and is using it for fraud, for example.
"To help, they transfer you to another scammer who pretends to be with a government agency (like the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI) or the fraud department at your bank," said the .
"The scammer says the only way to protect your money is to transfer it to a new account.
"The problem is, the scammer controls that new account and quickly cleans it out."
Source:
The dodgy pop-ups are one of several ways that these greedy crooks brazenly steal your hard-earned cash.
They are also targeting computer users with uninvited phone calls.
For example, phony tech support workers will call you out of the blue and pretend to be a computer technician from a well-known firm.
They'll lie and claim they’ve found a problem with your computer.
The con continues with them urging you to let them have remote access to your computer.
These scammers then pretend to run a diagnostic test.
The next step taken is to force you into paying to fix a problem that never existed in the first place.
If this happens to you, and you are called by a stranger who says there’s a problem with your computer, just hang up.
"Legitimate tech companies won’t contact you by phone, email, or text message to tell you there’s a problem with your computer," said the FTC.
"Security pop-up warnings from real tech companies will never ask you to call a phone number or click on a link."
If a tech support scammer contacts you, report it to the FTC at .
