“Antivirus Scam” and “Apple Scam”

Please, never pay anything serious using gift cards. Gasoline? Sure. Taxes? No. Also, please consider researching before paying using any method of payment. If you get a suspicious call, search the phone number on the internet. It will likely already have been flagged as a “Scam” caller or show you that it is a legitimate company. If the call seems suspicious, hang out and do not give out any personal information.

The Antivirus Scam is currently going around where someone will cold call you and state there are horrible things on your computer. They may request access to your computer so they can show you these things and then say that if you don’t pay them for protection, the police will find those things and arrest you.

Facts: Antivirus companies generally do not cold call customers and definitely do not know about the contents of your computer before they call you. This is a scam. Do not pay them any amount of money. Invest in a known free/paid antivirus program that you have researched or is provided by a reputable dealer/company.

The Apple Scam builds off of the Antivirus Scam. If you are using an Apple product, they will call and state there is something wrong with your device and request access to it to fix it. They will then change passwords and “fix” things demanding money for their services which they may or may not pay back.

Facts: Again, Apple generally does not cold call people for tech support. They also do not accept payment via Google Play gift cards.

There have also been scams involving Wisconsin Public Service recently, involving a bill that is past due, as well as the “Grandparent” scam. Someone will call an older person, claim to be their grandson or granddaughter and say they are in trouble and need money, but they are too embarrassed to call their parents. Tell your “grandchild” you’re busy, but you’ll call them right back. Call the number you have for your grandchild and discuss it with them.