Smartphone users beware — scam artists are out to get you.
Paula Fleming of the Better Business Bureau of Maine, eastern Massachusetts and Vermont, said scammers are increasingly targeting smartphones with malware scams to lock phones and then requiring a fee to fix it.
“Currently, this particular scam seems limited to iPhones and iPad users on Safari, but all smartphones users can be targeted,” said Fleming.
She said users’ Internet browsers freeze, and a pop-up message appears saying something such as: “Warning IOS – Crash Report. Due to a third party application, your phone iOS crashed.”
And if you call the phone number provided – look out. Fleming said victims report that scammers charge about $60 to “repair” the phone.
Fleming referred people who have received the warning to an article at zdnet.com on how to get rid of the pop-up on the phone. Here is the advice as recommended in the story:
• Put your iPhone or iPad into airplane mode
• Go to Safari in the settings program
• Tap “clear history” and “website data,” then hit home
• Exit airplane mode and restart Safari.
The Cyber Security Alliance also offers suggestions for keeping a mobile device clean of viruses and malware:
• Protect all devices connected to the Internet. Computers, smartphones, gaming systems, tablets and other web-enabled devices need protection from viruses and malware.
• Keep mobile devices up to date.
• Be cautious. Secure your phone and other devices with a password.
• Protect your privacy. Review privacy policies before you download a new app, and make sure you understand what the app can access on your phone (contacts, photos, social media, location, etc.).
• Be savvy about Wi-Fi. When you are online through an unsecured or unprotected network, be cautious about the sites you visit and the information you release.
• When in doubt, don’t respond.
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