FBI Boston saw nearly 50% jump in losses from tech support scams

CHELSEA, Mass. —

The Boston Division of the FBI issued an urgent warning about the rise in tech support scams in Massachusetts, New England and the rest of the country.

In tech support scams, fraudsters pose as customer or tech support representatives from reputable, well-known tech companies and may call, email or text their targets with an offer to resolve issues such as a compromised email or bank account, computer virus or software license renewal.

Once scammers convince people that their financial accounts have been compromised and their funds need to move me, they gain control over the victim’s computers and, ultimately, their finances and personal information.

“Think of it as if you left every morning on your way to work and left your front door wide open,” said Matthew Giacobbi, an assistant special agent in charge with the FBI Boston Division.

According to federal agents in the Boston Division, 809 people across Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island reported losing more than $7.5 million due to tech support scams in 2021 — a 49% jump from the previous year. Sixty percent of victims within the FBI Boston Division’s jurisdiction reported being over the age of 60, and those victims accounted for 77% of the losses.

• 521 victims in Massachusetts lost $5,386,594
• 106 victims in Maine lost $673,339
• 117 victims in New Hampshire lost $568,394
• 65 victims in Rhode Island lost $915,714

In 2021, the FBI said 23,903 people nationwide reported losing more than $347 million due to tech support scams, marking a 137% increase in losses from the previous year. Nearly 60% of nationwide victims were reported to be over 60 years old and accounted for 68% of the losses.

According to the FBI, the reported losses are most likely much higher because older Americans are less likely to report fraud due to the fact that they either don’t know how to report it, don’t know they have been scammed or are embarrassed.

Victims of tech support scams are often directed to wire or transfer their funds out of brokerage or bank accounts to cryptocurrency exchanges, or to transfer the contents of their crypto wallet to another wallet to “safeguard” the contents. Scammers will also create fictitious support sites to entice crypto owners to contact them directly and convince them to divulge login information or surrender control of their crypto accounts.

The FBI said scammers are also asking people to install free, remote desktop software on the computers that will allow them to monitor, manipulate and perform actions within the victims’ computers, such as opening virtual currency accounts to facilitate the liquidation of their genuine bank accounts .

Federal agents say that legitimate customer and tech support representatives will never initiate unsolicited contact with customers, will not demand immediate payment or request payment via cash, prepaid gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.

The FBI Boston Division listed the following suggestions for protection against tech support scams:

• Ensure computer anti-virus, security and malware protection is up to date and settings are enabled to reduce pop-ups.
• Be cautious of customer support numbers obtained via online searching. Phone numbers listed in a “sponsored” results section are likely boosted as a search of Search Engine Advertising.
• If a pop-up or error message appears with a phone number, don’t call the number. Error and warning messages never include phone numbers.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Criminals will urge the victim to act fast to protect their device or account.
• Do not give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts.
• Do not download or visit a website that an unknown person may direct you to.
• Do not trust caller ID readings as criminals often spoof names and numbers to appear legitimate. Let unknown numbers go to voice mail, and do not call unknown numbers back.
• Never trust any company — tech or otherwise — requesting personal or financial information.

If you are a victim of a tech support scam, the FBI recommends taking the following steps:

• Run up-to-date virus scan software to check for potentially malicious software installed by the scammers. Consider having your computer professionally cleaned.
• Contact your financial institutions immediately by using the number on the back of your bank card or by visiting the institution in person. Take steps to protect your identity and your accounts.
• Change all passwords if the scammer had access to your device.
• Expect additional attempts at contact. The scammers often share their victim database information.
• Keep all original documentation, emails, faxes, and logs of all communications.
• File a police report at your local police station.
• File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. If possible, include the following:

• Identifying information about the criminal and company, including websites, phone numbers and email addresses or any numbers you may have called.
• Account names, phone numbers, and financial institutions receiving any funds (eg, bank accounts, wire transfers, prepaid card payments, cryptocurrency wallets) even if the funds were not actually lost.
• Description of interaction with the criminal.
• The email, website, or link that caused a pop-up or locked screen.