Scam Alert-Computer Pop Ups

Tech-support scams siphon billions of dollars from Americans’ pockets every year, and LW computer expert Tina Schaffer reports receiving several distress calls last week from Leisure World residents. Popup messages on their computer screens were telling them their computers had been hacked or infected with a virus, and directing them to call a toll-free number for assistance.

This is a scam, and their computers were not really at risk. Instead, con artists are trying to trick people into paying for computer support services they don’t need, empty bank accounts or even steal identities.

According to Schaffer, a LW resident came within seconds of wire transferring $75,000 to scammers who were on the other end of the phone number that popped up on his computer screen.

Over the past year alone, Americans lost $29.8 billion to phone and computer scams.

“We are hearing about scams more than ever, as many as three to four calls a day,” Schaffer said. “We used to get that many calls in a month. I am not sure what has changed, but it’s very alarming that people are increasingly conned into sending criminals money. Yet, it’s not surprising, considering that these criminals are incredibly clever in the way that they manipulate people.”

The misleading pop-up Internet advertisements are convincing as they alert unsuspecting computer users that something is seriously wrong with their computers, which must be immediately fixed. Scammers often pose as representatives of reputable, wellknown computer or software companies.

Schaffer offers the following advice to help residents protect themselves from computer scams.

• Never call a phone number that pops up on a computer screen or in an email. If this is your first encounter with a scam, the most dangerous thing you can do is think you’re too smart to fall for it.

• The easiest thing you can do to protect yourself is do not call