Yesterday, the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) hosted a Twitter chat about Tech Support
Scams. Tech support scams remain a problem, taking advantage of computer
owners’ legitimate concerns of their equipment being infected by viruses and
malware.
During the Twitter chat, the FTC
announced a new enforcement program called “Operation Tech Trap.” The operation
is a coordinated effort with the FTC and federal, state and international law
enforcement agencies to crackdown on scammers using the tech support scam to
steal money and identities from the public.
As part of the operation, the FTC
announced 16 new actions that included the filing of complaints in court, settlements,
indictments and guilty pleas. Most of the actions occurred in the United
States. However, the FTC did note that it is working with law enforcement
agencies in India to prosecute tech support scammers in that country.
For more detail about Operation
Tech Trap, check out this link: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2017/05/ftc-federal-state-international-partners-announce-major-crackdown
The rest of the Twitter chat
talked about what tech support scams are, how they work, and how you can
protect yourself. Long time followers of this blog are probably very familiar
with the tech support scam. Below are links to FTC web pages that explain the
tech support scam. Please review them and pass them to your family, friends and
neighbors.
Tech Support Scam Infographic:
Tech Support Scam Explanation:
Tech Support Scam Video:
If you receive a Tech Support
Scam phone call or pop up on your computer, report it to the FTC here:
If you become a victim of a Tech
Support Scam, go to this link to report it and receive a recovery plan:
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