Q. We received a tech support call stating our IP address had been compromised. My wife hung up on the caller; is that real or a scam?
A. Wise move for your wife. Scammers have been duping consumers with a tech support scam that claims your IP address has been compromised. BBB is seeing an increasing number of these cons reported to BBB.org/ScamTracker. There are two versions of this scam consumer and businesses should be ready to spot.
How the Scam Works
In one version of the scam, a pop-up suddenly appears on your computer screen with an ominous warning from a well-known tech support company. The pop-up will ask you to call a number to resolve the issue. When you call, a “technician” will tell you your IP address is being used by shady individuals. In some reports, scammers claim child pornography websites are using your IP address, and you could be held responsible for their actions. In a second version of the scam, you simply receive a call out of the blue from someone making similar claims.
In both cases, scammers say they work for a reputable company and can fix the problem, but you’ll need to pay a fee and give them remote access to your computer first. Of course, the claims are false! If you believe them, scammers will make off with your money and gain access to any personal information stored on your computer.