LANSING, Mich. (WSYM) — Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning Michiganders to beware of scammers who may be posing as employees offering tech support for major companies like Apple or Microsoft.
Some tech-support scams begin with a phone call, either from a real person or a robocall. The Attorney General’s office has an example of such a call on its website.
“Whether the call is coming from a live person or a robocall, Michiganders must be cautious whenever contacted by unsolicited callers, particularly when those individuals are seeking access to your personal devices, like a smartphone, tablet or computer,” Nessel said. “As more people are working and attending school from home, we are relying more heavily than before on our electronic devices. Scammers are crafty, and they are constantly identifying new ways to attempt to steal personal information, so Michiganders must be on the lookout for anything that seems suspicious.”
Nessel stressed that those who are contacted by an unsolicited caller or receive an email from an unknown source offering tech support and seeking remote access to a computer or other electronic device should hang up the phone or delete the email.
Scammers often use a technique called “social engineering” to try to instill fear in their targets. By adding a sense of urgency to their request, they get their victims to ignore smaller details that may give away the ruse, and don’t give them time to think about the situation. However, independently verifying the source of the call or email before responding to any request being made will help targets avoid falling victim to the scam.
Complaints of tech support scams, robocall and other consumer protection-related issues can be filed online with the Michigan Department of Attorney General. Unwanted calls can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online or by calling 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357).
