Boston FBI warns of tech support scams

CHELSEA, Mass. — The Boston Division of the FBI issued a warning a couple of bounce in tech assist scams throughout the nation and proper right here in Massachusetts.

The FBI says that scammers pose as buyer or tech assist representatives from respected, well-known tech corporations. They might name, electronic mail or textual content their targets providing to resolve points. These points vary from issues like a compromised electronic mail or checking account or a pc virus or software program license renewal.

New Englanders in 4 states have been focused by a majority of these scams. In line with the FBI:

• 521 individuals in Massachusetts have been scammed out of greater than 5.3-million {dollars}..
• 117 individuals in New Hampshire have misplaced greater than 560-thousand {dollars}.
• 65 Rhode Islanders had been duped out of 915-thousand {dollars}.
• And 106 individuals in Maine have been scammed out of greater than 673-thousand {dollars}.

As soon as scammers persuade people who their monetary accounts have been compromised and their funds have to me moved, they acquire management over the sufferer’s computer systems and, in the end, their funds and private info.

The FBI mentioned nationwide in 2021 that 23,903 individuals reported shedding greater than $347 million as a consequence of tech assist scams. That may be a 137% improve in losses from the earlier yr. Almost 60% of nationwide victims had been reported to be over 60 years previous and accounted for 68% of the losses.

In line with the FBI, the reported losses are probably a lot increased as a result of older Individuals are much less more likely to report fraud as a consequence of the truth that they both don’t know tips on how to report it, are embarrassed or don’t know they’ve been scammed.

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