Skip to main content

Internet Scam Awareness

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) continues to receive complaints about calls from individuals with strong accents and common names claiming to be with "tech support" from a well known software company.

These callers claim there is a virus on the victim's computer that is causing it to send error messages. In order to get access to the victim's computer, the caller states that only they can resolve the issue. They convince the victim to allow them to scan the computer’s operating system remotely. Victims watch the caller examine their files and "find" the virus. The perpetrators indicate that they can remove the virus - for a fee - and ask the victim for their credit card details. Victims who grant remote access subsequently experience computer difficulties from malware installed on their system. Victims who give out their credit card information become victims of fraud and theft.

This crime, commonly known as "social engineering" has been on the rise in neighboring states. Residents, business owners and City employees should be alert for this type of scam. Never give anyone access to your computer that you didn’t call for assistance.

Also, if you do not personally look up and call the technical support number for a hardware or software company (Gateway, Dell, Symantec, McAfee, etc.) do not call any number that pops up on your PC’s screen. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Brentwood Police Department Announces Speed Citation Amnesty Program

Due to an error we are offering to void speed camera citations that were issued between June 24th thru July 13th, 2010. Please email your citation number to chiefbrentwoodpd@juno.com with Citation Amnesty Program written in the subject line. Any speed citations issued before or after the dates listed are not included in this amnesty program . This program does not include or involve speed camera citations that were issued by the City of Mount Rainier.
5 comments
Read more

Community Shredding Day

Please mark you calendars for Saturday July 18th, 2009 for community shredding day. Priority One Shredding of Bowie, Maryland will provide free personal shredding services and secure document destruction from 8 am until 11am at the Bunker Hill Fire Station. Priority One Shredding is a leading provider of personal and business secure document destruction. Residents are welcome to watch their documents being destroyed, and once the shredding process is completed, the remains are locked in the mobile destruction unit until the paper is recycled. Priority One will also provide residents with a variety of identity theft prevention information free of charge. If you miss the community shredding day on July 18th, be sure to bring your bulk documents to National Night Out. Priority One will be onsite from 6-9 pm providing shredding services to residents again, free of charge .
3 comments
Read more

Parking Citation Collection Notices

As you read this entry, many of our residents may have received a collection notice regarding one or more unpaid parking citations. We have received at least a hundred telephone calls, and our Records staff is quite taxed sorting out those notices that were received in error, and those that are legitimate. Just a few notes of caution that I’d like to pass along to help make things easier for all concerned. First, no member of the police department staff will void, cancel or otherwise dispose of a valid collection notice. We are also not authorized to make any payment arrangements or reduce the amount owed to the City. The staff at City Hall is under the same constraints. Persons who receive a collection notice and have concerns that it was issued in error should call the police department during regular business hours and our staff will research the citation. All payments are to be made either to the collection agency directly or at City Hall. The police department does not acce...
Post a Comment
Read more