New computer scam warning from South Yorkshire Police
Fraudsters claiming to be from the technical department at BT have contacted computer users claiming that their personal accounts were compromised, before instructing them on how to install remote viewing software.
Once the spy software has been installed, victims were asked to log into their online banking accounts, supposedly in order to secure them against fraud.
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But it allowed the fraudsters to access victims’ bank accounts and resulted in several people in South Yorkshire having tens of thousands of pounds stolen in recent weeks.
DC Steven Parker, of South Yorkshire Police Force Crime Unit, said: “This is a sophisticated crime and the people making the calls are very plausible.
“It’s likely that the crooks at the other end of the line are career criminals.
“They create panic in the victims before presenting themselves as the saviour and duping victims into giving access to their money.”
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South Yorkshire Police issued advice on how to avoid falling victim to scammers:
- Keep calm and don’t panic if someone claims an account has been breached. Online banking is extremely secure and people will more than likely be reimbursed if their account is compromised through no fault of their own.
- Do not log on to your computer or follow any instructions when requested to do so over the phone.
- Always take the name of the company and individual calling before searching the internet for the company’s phone number and calling it.