WannaCry Tech Support Scam

The WannaCry ransomware attack is making headlines around the world, and tech support scammers are ready to sweep in and “save the day.”

Who Is It Targeting: Computer users

What Is It: A phishing scam that plays off of headlines surrounding a major cyber event

What Are They After: Anytime major news happens, anything from a malware attack to a natural disaster, there are scammers waiting to cash in. Following the recent crippling WannaCry ransomware attack, there’s a good bet that tech support scams will ramp up in the next few days or weeks, promising to remove the threat, patch the security flaw, or more.

Fortunately, WannaCry has already been defeated and Microsoft’s patch for the flaw is already available for download from their security center. There’s no need to fall into a scammer’s trap to fix a problem that’s already been stopped, but it’s important to watch for “copycat” excuses, like “a fresh WannaCry attack has been uncovered and you’re not protected.”

How Can You Avoid It:

• Never give your money, your information, or worse, remote access to your computer to someone who contacts you.
• If a popup box tells you that your computer is infected, it’s a scam; unplug it immediately.
• Only go to trusted sources for tech support, never a caller who contacts you and claims to be from a well-known company.

Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from McCall.com.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530.