HAVE you ever been browsing the internet when a window pop-ups telling you that your system has a virus? There’s a high probability it’s a scam.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning people to watch out for these pop-ups claiming there are viruses or other seemingly nasty tech problems affecting their computer.
Known as remote access scams, these pop-up windows are used as a ploy to get victims to call a fake support line.
The scammer on the other end then tells the victim the “problem” and asks for remote access to fix it.
“Once a scammer has remote access to your computer they can easily 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,” said the commission’s deputy chair Delia Rickard.
“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 the people in look legitimate and are often made to imitate trusted websites for brands like Microsoft and Apple.”
Ms Rickard said the pop-ups can often “freeze” a computer so clicking the close button 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 not to call that number and close the pop-up if possible.”
Windows users can close the pop-ups manually through Windows Task Manager while Mac users can use the Activity Monitor. If this fails, restart the machine.
“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,” Ms Rickard said.
“If your credit card was charged for sham software, you can try get your money back.”
- Details www.scamwatch.gov.au
