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A recent report (opens in new tab) on USA Today details how one Mac owner became a victim of the scam, despite being “tech-savvy.” While using Google Chrome, a pop-up window alert warned the user that hackers were taking control. It then asked to call the phone number on-screen for help. While the site itself does look dodgy (similar to the image above), it’s the Apple pop-up that unfortunately looks official and trustworthy. Apple never sends these types of pop-ups, so never trust it if you see one. Contacting the number leads to a fake Apple support customer service, where the scammers will either ask for your financial details or ask to take remote control over the MacBook to resolve the issue or download a diagnostic app. The scammer asked the user to download TeamViewer from the Apple App Store. From there, the scammer asked to make sure their financial account was secure by transferring money over to the “official technician.” Unfortunately, it’s a nasty scheme that worked. While Apple is known for its security measures, especially on its App Store, there are still scams on the internet that can fall through the cracks that target unsuspecting victims.
How to stop pop-ups
To make sure you don’t encounter this problem, you can block pop-ups on Apple’s Safari by making sure the browser’s security settings are turned on, particularly for “Block Pop-ups” and “Fraudulent Website Warning.” You can find this by heading to Safari’s “Preferences” option. Also, check out how to stop pop-ups in Chrome. As always, if something feels suspicious, or anyone asks for your financial information or access to your laptop, head to Apple’s official support website (opens in new tab) and call Apple Support before engaging. Better safe than losing $2,000. (H/T BGR)
