Terrace RCMP are reminding the public to be aware of scams and frauds.
In the past two days there have been two reported incidents of the Anti-Virus Scam.
The Anti-Virus Scam looks like this:
The caller will identify themselves as a representative from a company, i.e. Microsoft. The caller will say that a serious problem has been identified with your computer, i.e. running slow, has viruses, or has been hacked. The caller will offer to repair your computer over the internet, which can involve the installation of software or allowing the representative remote access to your computer, plus pay a fee for the fix. The caller will ask for a credit card number or access to a bank account to obtain funds. Sometimes scare tactics are used, like the computer will shut down or you will be held responsible for the hackers’ actions.
The catch is there was never anything wrong with your computer in the first place, the caller is not working for Microsoft, you may have downloaded onto your computer damaging malware and spyware, and you may have given out financial and personal information.
Treat all unsolicited phone calls and emails with skepticism,
says Const. Angela Rabut, Community Policing/Media Relations Terrace RCMP.
Most frauds and rip offs are preventable with some basic knowledge and awareness. The internet is the best source of education and awareness for the public.
There are many known scams, and new ones are invented every day. Go to Canada’s on line anti fraud web site at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca for a list of the most common scam types.
If you would like a Preventing Frauds and Scams presentation to your community group, call Const. Angela Rabut, Community Policing/Media Relations Officer Terrace RCMP at 250-638-7429.