This screen-sharing scam can have devastating consequences
Hackers are always coming up with new ways to get your information. You may think you can spot a scam or hack at first glance, but don’t be so sure.
Cybercriminals can hide malicious code inside apps to steal data and take control of mobile phones. Security researchers recently uncovered an updated banking Trojan embedded in Android apps downloaded more than 50,000 times. Tap or click here for our report.
Many apps and programs have functions to allow you to share your screen with others, which has become especially popular since the onset of the pandemic. This can be useful during tech support calls or when you want to show someone how to accomplish a task. Unfortunately, this gives hackers another way to steal your information or take control of your device.
Be careful what you share
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which regulates the financial services industry in the U.K., is warning about investment scams involving screen sharing. The FCA has identified 2,142 such cases since July 2020, with more than $30 million lost to scammers between Jan. 1, 2021, and March 31 this year.
The FCA details one case in which 59-year-old Angela Underhill clicked on an ad for Bitcoin and got a call from people claiming to be financial advisers. They asked her to download the AnyDesk remote desktop app so they could help her with her first investment.
With access to her computer, the crooks could view her banking details and pensions and apply for loans on her behalf. They made away with nearly $60,000. The FCA says that scammers have used various platforms with screen-sharing functions, including Teams, TeamViewer and Zoom to target victims.
The FCA’s Warning List shows firms that are not authorized or registered by the FCA and are known to be running scams.
It can happen anywhere
Though the research from the FCA pertains to cases in the U.K., scams don’t often stay isolated in one part of the world for very long. You need to be vigilant of all types of scams, no matter where you are.
Tech support scams commonly use screen sharing to take control of your device. Tap or click here for seven tech support scams to watch out for.
There are steps you can take to avoid falling victim to these types of scams:
All the new features coming to Chrome, Edge and Firefox
Cybercriminals can attack your web browser and find ways to steal your personal information and rip you off. That’s why it’s important to take security precautions before it’s too late. Tap or click here to lock down your browser for maximum security.
3 super useful websites you'll use all the time
At this point, you probably have a near endless list of accounts and services you pay for. Not everything good will cost you, though. Tap or click here for 15 tech upgrades you can get for free.
Today, we’re bringing you three handy utilities that will run in your browser without costing you a cent. One provides a super-simple way to share your screen, and another allows you to create and send self-destructing messages — James Bond style. Plus, an easy way to set aside the keyboard and dictate whatever you need to type right from your browser.
Tech how-to: Share your iPhone or Android screen
When it comes to video meetings, being able to share your screen can be extremely useful. You can have others follow along with presentations at work, lead talks with useful accompaniments, or just share photos with friends.
Tech-how to: Make phone calls to friends and family from Facebook
You may be familiar with Facebook messaging, which allows you to directly message someone when you want to have a conversation outside of Facebook’s public forum, but did you realize that you can also make voice and video calls through the social media platform? RELATED: Facebook Messenger tricks you’ll use over and over.