Fake support numbers fool frustrated customers

Trying to reach Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon or another big company for help with your account? If so, watch out for this crafty con. Scammers post fake customer support numbers online to fool callers into purchasing unrelated computer software.

HOW THE SCAM WORKS

You are having trouble with your account, so you search online for the customer support phone number. Many large companies — from Netflix to Amazon — have been affected by this con. A quick search turns up what appears to be a legitimate toll-free number (1-888 or 1-844 number). You dial it, and a “representative” answers. This person declares that your account has been hacked.

Skeptical? The “representative” says they can provide proof that your account was hacked. But first, they need remote access to your computer. Unfortunately, granting a scammer access can open you up to the risk of identity theft. Scam artists can install malware that records passwords or hunts for personal information, such as bank account numbers.

However, according to BBB Scam Tracker reports, this scam appears to be a pretext for selling computer security software. The expensive software — victims report paying between $200 and $900 — will do nothing to fix your account, which was never hacked in the first place.

Protect yourself from support scam:

Don’t ever give a stranger remote access: Granting someone remote access to your computer permits them to install malware and access your files. Don’t do it!

Be careful when searching for support phone numbers: Rather than doing an online search for a support number, use the contact information on the business’s website (double check the URL) or your bill.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Many support scams use similar techniques, see bbb.org/techsupportscam and this report at https:// tinyurl.com/yalfgoo5 for more advice.

To learn more about scams, go to BBB Scam Tips (bbb.org/scamtips). If you’ve been targeted by this scam, help others avoid the same problem by reporting your experience on the BBB Scam Tracker.

Janet Torricellas is the regional director of the Better Business Bureau Yuma County Campus located at 350 W. 16th St., Suite 205, Yuma. She can be reached at 928-919-7940.

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