Computer Scams

Government entities, like individuals, may be targets of scams. Recent scams involve telephone calls from someone offering to fix your computer or to protect your computer from the latest computer virus or malware. The caller may claim to be a software or computer representative. To provide you with assistance, the caller will ask for remote access to your computer.

If you receive a telephone call asking you to provide someone with remote access to your computer, do not agree -- unless you initiated the request for assistance from a vendor you know and trust. Do not use a telephone number or website provided by the caller to verify the identity of the caller.

If you fall victim to one of these scams, report it to law enforcement and to the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/. Local units of government may want to contact their attorney for advice on appropriate steps to take if security is breached.

Date this Avoiding Pitfall was most recently published: 08/04/2017