OCPD Warning Citizens of Computer Repair Scams

OCEAN CITY, MD – (May 2, 2019): The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) has recently received a report of a computer support scam.  More specifically, scammers are using spoof phone numbers claiming to be Apple Support.

In this case, the scam started with an automated call showing Apple’s logo, address and legitimate Apple phone number that warms the user to return the call because of a data breach. The victim then called the 1-866 number and was asked to pay for support through either a wire transfer or gift cards.  According to detectives, a recent indicator from scammers is the request to purchase “Google Play Cards” and have the victim send the information from the “Play Card” to the scammer.

“Internet crime schemes such as these steal millions of dollars each year from unsuspecting victims across the country,” commented Ocean City Police Captain Ray Austin. “It’s important to remember that anyone calling you asking for payment in the form of a wire transfer or gift card is not calling from a legitimate company. It’s a scam.”

The OCPD offers a few simple steps to spot similar scams:

• Be cautious of unsolicited offers. If you didn’t ask for computer repair services, a legitimate company would not have known that it was needed.
• Be wary if the seller only accepts wire transfers, gift cards or cash.
• When asked to pay with a credit card through a website, ensure the site is secure and reputable before providing your credit card number.
• Research the company before agreeing to the service. Most legitimate companies will have information about their company online, as well as customer reviews.

Any citizen that believes he/she may have been a victim of a similar crime should contact their local police department to file a report.

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