Blog for hpHosts, and whatever else I feel like writing about ....

Thursday 4 October 2012

FTC launches international crackdown on tech support scammers

The Federal Trade Commission has launched a major international crackdown on tech support scams in which telemarketers masquerade as major computer companies, con consumers into believing that their computers are riddled with viruses, spyware and other malware, and then charge hundreds of dollars to remotely access and “fix” the consumers’ computers.

At the request of the FTC, a U.S. District Court Judge has ordered a halt to six alleged tech support scams pending further hearings, and has frozen their assets.

“The FTC has been aggressive – and successful – in its pursuit of tech support scams,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. “And the tech support scam artists we are talking about today have taken scareware to a whole other level of virtual mayhem.”


Read more
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/10/pecon.shtm

References

Called by 03339009119?
http://hphosts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/called-by-03339009119.html

Info: Ammyy now warning about telephony scams
http://blog.eset.com/2012/08/24/ammyy-warning-against-tech-support-scams

OfCom: Unsolicited Telesales Calls
http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/tell-us/telecoms/privacy/

Note: OfCom URL updated as they seem to have taken down the original page on this

Telephony scams: Your machine told them it was infected? Really?
http://mysteryfcm.co.uk/?mode=Articles&date=18-01-2012

Malwarebytes: Telephony Scams: Can You Help?
http://blog.malwarebytes.org/news/2012/05/telephony-scams-can-you-help/

Eset: The Tech Support Scammer’s Revenge
http://blog.eset.com/2012/07/23/the-tech-support-scammers-revenge

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