DA Rice Warns Public About New Phone Phishing Scam
Mineola, NY - June 6, 2014 - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice seeks the public’s assistance in helping spread the word about a phone phishing scam by cybercriminals looking to get personal information with offers to help solve computer problems.
“Criminals are constantly looking for new ways to steal valuable personal information, and will say or offer anything to gain someone’s trust,” DA Rice said. “My office continues to work to bring scammers to justice – but the first line of defense is a vigilant public. Never give sensitive information over the phone to someone you don’t know. When in doubt, just hang up.”
The scam involves unsolicited telephone calls from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, and offering assistance with computers. Once cybercriminals have gained a victim’s trust, they can do one or more of the following:
- Trick people into installing malicious software on their computer
- Take control of a victim’s computer remotely and adjust settings in order to leave the computer vulnerable
- Request credit card information so that cybercriminals can bill for the phony services
Microsoft will not make unsolicited phone calls to help you with your computer. If you receive a phone call like this, hang up.
If you think you might be a victim of fraud, you can report it by calling DA Rice’s Criminal Complaint Unit at (516) 571-3505. For more information on what to do if you’ve responded to a phishing scam, click here.