Police are warning Tasmanians to beware of malware scams, with close to $100,000 lost by locals in the past two months.

Detective Sergeant Paul Turner said six older Tasmanian adults had been targeted since June.

“These victims have ranged in age from 74 to 86, and have each lost between $600 and $30,000.”

“In some cases police have been able to recover the funds, but this has not been possible for all victims.”

“The scam occurs when a person who is operating a device online sees a ‘pop-up’ warning, which asks them to phone a number to fix the issue.”

“Malware like this often makes its way onto people’s devices after they have unintentionally clicked on a malicious link or adware, or visited a suspicious website.”

“When the victim rings the phone number, the scammer tells them their computer has been sending error messages or that it has a virus.”

“The scammer may mention problems with the victim’s internet connection or computer, and may even suggest that the device or internet connection has been hacked.”

“The scammer will then request remote access to the victim’s device ‘to find out what the problem is’, and money is then either stolen from online accounts or the victim is coerced into transferring funds, or buying gift cards.”

“We’re asking all Tasmanians to beware of these sorts of scams, and to check that older family and friends are also aware of the risks.”

For more information about potential cyber scams and how to protect yourself, visit https://www.cyber.gov.au/

WARNING SIGNS

You receive a phone call out of the blue or error message on your device and the caller claims to be from a large telecommunications or computer company, or a technical support service provider.

They tell you that your computer is experiencing technical problems, and they need remote access to sort out the problem.

They ask for your personal details and your bank or credit card details.

The caller is very persistent and may become abusive.
PROTECT YOURSELF

Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer.

Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.

If you receive a phone call out of the blue about your computer and remote access is requested – hang up – even if they mention a well-known company such as Telstra or Microsoft. These companies do not request credit card details over the phone to fix computer or telephone problems, and are not affiliated with any organisations that do.

STOP, think and call a friend or family member for advice.

Make sure your computer is protected with regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall. Research first and only purchase software from a source that you know and trust.

If you have fallen victim to a scam report it to your bank and https://www.cyber.gov.au/ immediately.