New scam: pop up from your ISP - or is it?

By Diane Hettrick

Crooks are so inventive. As soon as most of us figure out a scam, they come up with a new one.

This new one is a variation on the cold call from "Microsoft" telling you that there is something wrong with your computer that they need to fix immediately. Of course they will need your passwords and credit card information.

In this version, a pop up window shows on your computer screen while you are checking emails or browsing the internet. It claims to be a notice from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) - usually Comcast or AT/T - saying that you need to call immediately to get assistance to clear your computer of viruses or malware.

It's so authentic looking - and new - that even experts are almost taken in.

Here's a good article about it - with probably more information than you need: Tech support scams target victims via their ISP.