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Tech support scams on the rise

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Fraudsters have a new way to trick people out of their money. They pretend to be the technical support of ISPs (Internet Service Providers). They target an IP – this is a computer's online ID number. Once fraudsters have the IP, the victim gets a message to say the computer has malware. The message asks you to phone for help. An Internet security company said: "The scammers are trying to get people to call them. People are…paying to be scammed."

Most of the scams so far are in the USA and UK, but they will spread. A malware expert 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. These find your IP number. You do not have to click on the ad to get malware. The expert's advice is to call the tech support number you got when you signed up for the Internet. He said never trust phone numbers in pop-up windows.