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Tech support scams on the rise

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Fraudsters have a new method to trick people into losing money. They are pretending to be the technical support of ISPs (Internet Service Providers). This scam looks real, even to experienced Internet users. The fraudsters target an IP – this is a computer's online ID number. Once fraudsters have the IP, the victim gets a pop-up window with a message to say the computer has malware. The victim is then advised to phone for help. The Internet security company Malwarebytes said: "The scammers are trying to get people to call them. People are literally paying to be scammed."

Malwarebytes said most of the scams so far are in the USA and UK, but they will spread worldwide. A malware expert at Malwarebytes said: "It caught me by surprise….It was only when I looked in closer detail that I saw it was a scam." The fraudsters infect online adverts that then work out your IP number. You do not have to click on the ad for the computer to get infected by the malware. Malwarebytes' advice is to call the tech support number you got when you signed up for the Internet. They said never trust phone numbers in pop-up windows.