19/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 19/07/2024 18:12
07/19/2024
HARTFORD - The Department of Consumer Protection is warning the public to watch out for scams following the global IT outage affecting industries around the world Friday.
"Scammers follow the news specifically to take advantage of situations like the software problem many are dealing with today," said DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. "Scammers know many people are waiting for direction and assistance from their Information Technology teams today, creating a prime opportunity to send phishing links, impersonate IT teams, and gain access to sensitive information. It is important to remain vigilant and be wary of anything that seems suspicious in order to prevent this outage from causing even more problems."
Phishing is when criminals use scam emails, text messages or phone calls to trick people into visiting a website that may download a virus onto your computer or steal bank details or other personal information.
You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it's from someone you're expecting to hear from today - like your IT team or customer support representatives from Crowdstrike or Microsoft. Look for the most common signs it might be a scam:
If you received a phishing email or text message, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The information you give helps fight scammers.
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