Attorney General warns of phone scammers

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning consumers that phone scammers posing as legitimate computer technicians are on the prowl in Washington and other states across the country.

“These scammers claim to be calling to help resolve problems that have been detected on the consumer’s personal computer, such as harmful viruses or malware,” warned Ferguson.  “What they really want is access to your computer and, ultimately, your money.”

The phone scammers hunt for victims by “cold-calling” numbers they find in telephone directories and other public resources.  The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office has received numerous complaints in recent months from consumers who have received these calls. 

How the scam works

The “tech support” scam exploits consumer concerns about computer and online security.

The callers attempt to gain your trust with a fake identity and a barrage of technical language, saying that a problem has been detected on your computer.

They may ask you to perform a series of tasks that cause you to unknowingly allow the cyber criminals remote access to your PC and the personal data stored on it.  You may also be tricked into installing malware that could steal your personal information.

The callers then claim to have identified the problem and demand payment to fix it with software updates, warranty extensions and other solutions.  They offer to accept credit card payments over the phone, and may request payments via Western Union or Money Gram or direct the victims to fraudulent websites set up to collect personal and financial information.  

“As with all scams, prevention is the best protection for consumers,” Ferguson said.  “Don’t ever give any caller access to your computer, no matter who they say they are.  Instead, hang-up!”