Australian consumer watchdog warns of a new scam taking thousands

A new scam has been reported by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission that is targeting your computer. 

In a press release today, the ACCC has warned about dodgy popups on your computer that are telling you that there is a problem with your device and to call an 1800 number for a technician to fix it. These types of scams are called “remote access” scams because the “technician” will ask to remote connect to your computer where they will keep you on the line while they download all your personal information.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said in the press release, “Once a scammer has remote access to your computer they can install malicious software, steal your personal data, con you into paying for a ‘service’ of your PC, or sell you unnecessary software to fix a problem that doesn’t exist”.  She added, “These scammers are very convincing and sound like they’re the real deal when talking about tech issues. The pop-ups they create to lure people in look legitimate and are often made to imitate trusted websites for brands like Microsoft and Apple.”

On average the ACCC receives 300 reports a month of this scam with more than $41,000 stolen. Ms Rickard added, “These pop-ups can often seemingly freeze your computer and clicking the close button on your browser often doesn’t work. This tricks people into thinking there really is a problem and calling the fake support line for help. Your first and best line of defence against this scam is to not call that number and close the pop-up if possible,”

The popups are hard to close but can be through Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) or by restarting your computer.  Ms Rickard urges action if you have already given your information saying, “If you think you’ve been caught by this scam, call your bank immediately and let them know what happened to protect your personal bank and/or credit card details. If your credit card was charged for sham software or servicing, you can try to get your money back.”

You should report any potential scams to the ACCC. You can also see other scams the ACCC is looking into here.

Have you seen this scam? Heard of others falling for this scam?