Don’t get caught by computer cons
HALTON Trading Standards is urging people to be aware after a warning after a woman received a call from a scammer claiming to be from BT.
The caller asked the woman to sit at her laptop while they checked her computer, claiming there were hackers trying to access it.
The would-be victim said that she was leaving for work and did not have time.
However, the scammer insisted that she had to do it and should ring back in half an hour.
Again the woman declined and hung up.
Trading Standards said that the call was a con and the caller probably wanted to get access to the computer to steal her personal information or install ‘ransomware’ and demand payment to remove it.
Cllr Dave Cargill (trading stand- ards) said: “If you receive any calls offering to fix a problem that you didn’t know you had, don’t give the caller any details.
“Explain that on the advice of Trading Standards you need to check first that the call is genuine and then put the phone down.
“Wait for five minutes and then contact the company they claim to be from on the usual number you have for them, do not use any numbers that the caller has given you.”
Anyone caught out by a con or who knows someone who has should call Halton Trading Standards on 0151 511 8785 or 0151 511 8775, who are already working with victims throughout Runcorn and Widnes who have lost thousands of pounds to fraud. For other advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0345 404 0506.
BT customers concerned about their service can check their account online at www.bt.com/ mybt ●