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BOSTON — The Better Business Bureau is warning of a scam aimed at owners of Apple devices and iCloud accounts. “Con artists have been calling and emailing people across the United States and Canada and claiming that their iCloud accounts have been hacked or unauthorized changes have been made,” the BBB said in a news release Thursday.
Scammers send a robocall or email claiming to be from Apple support, telling the user their iCloud account has been hacked and offering to fix if, and seeking access to the computer. “Allowing a scammer to access your computer can open you up to the risk of identity theft,” says Paula Fleming, spokeswoman for the local BBB. “Scam artists can install malware that records passwords or hunts for personal information, such as bank account numbers, on your computer.”
The BBB recommends:
Never giving a stranger remote access to your device.
Granting someone remote access to your computer allows them to install malware and access your files.
Be wary of anyone calling and claiming to be from a big-name tech company.
Most big tech company employees will not call customers who have not asked to be called.
Don’t believe caller ID.
Victims report falling for this scam because the calls appear to come from Apple support.
Scammers often spoof phone numbers, so don’t believe what you see on your phone.
Think twice when you see a pop-up notification on your computer that isn’t from a program you installed.
Scammers make tech support scam pop-ups that look like they’re coming from your computer, but they are actually ads displaying in your Internet browser.
Look for misspellings. Look out for spelling and grammar mistakes when dealing with a suspicious-looking email claiming to come from Apple support.
Additionally, check the copyright at the bottom of the email — if it looks even slightly different, then it is most likely a fake.
Many tech support scams use similar techniques.
Visit bbb.org/techsupportscam for more tips.
