Criminals getting cagier with cyber scams

Recuperating at home after a fall down a flight of stairs and a subsequent head injury, a friend was working on his computer when he received a call from “Windows Computer Services.”

The man, who asked that his name not be published, had retired from his job as an electrician after being diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, a chronic condition of the inner ear that causes vertigo.

Coincidentally, he said, when he received the call, he was having a little trouble with his computer, so he provided the caller with his credit card number and purchased a $139 service agreement.

He also complied with the caller’s instructions and downloaded software that allowed the caller to take control of his machine.

But later, he realized that the caller had not fixed the problem he was having with his computer. He then found another computer repair service online and paid an additional $139.

By the time his wife returned home from work, he had spent $417.

“I was confused and stupid,” said the man, who had become the victim of cybercriminals. “I just hope my story helps someone.”

Meanwhile, his wife called his credit card company, and workers there were able to cancel the charges.

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission released new rules to give phone carriers more authority to take aggressive action against these types of scams, but the rules will not go into effect immediately.

The FCC already requires telemarketers to make specific disclosures and sets limits on the times telemarketers may call and prohibits callers from contacting phone numbers listed on a National Do Not Call Registry.

But the agency still records more than 325,000 complaints each month about unwanted telemarketing calls from telephone customers listed on the registry.

Cybercriminals have become increasingly shrewd, using robo-calling software and spoofed numbers that appear to be legitimate government or local numbers, according to the FCC. Thousands of people lose their money and personal information to telephone scams each year.

Current telephone scams involve callers claiming a person owes federal income taxes or reporting that a relative is in jail. The scammer usually demands payment immediately, often wanting money sent through a wire transfer service or by a prepaid card.

The scammer may even insist that a person keep the call a secret and not alert the police.

The FCC recommends you simply hang up on anyone asking for personal or financial information.

Microsoft will never proactively reach out to a customer to provide unsolicited technical support, according to the company’s Safety and Security Center. Any communication the company has with a customer is initiated by the customer.

The IRS never demands immediate payment or makes a call about taxes owed. And the federal agency will never require a taxpayer to use a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card, or ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

The Federal Trade Commission urges people to report any fraudulent caller, even after sending them money. They’ll want more, the agency says. To report a phone scam, call 877-FTC-HELP or visit ftc.gov/complaint.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation recommends contacting a local law enforcement agency or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3.com, about phone scams.

Recently, the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department has substantially increased efforts to combat identity theft and tax refund fraud and may request in writing additional documentation to verify a refund claim.

If you believe someone has filed a state tax return on your behalf without your permission, call the department at 866-285-2996.