Scammers claim watching porn caused your computer to get hacked, BBB warns

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Man's hands are writting on a Macintosh (Apple) laptop in Athens, Greece on April 4, 2022. (Photo by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

HOUSTON - Scammers are everywhere, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning potential victims of a more perplexing scam that's taking notice.

According to an emailed press release from the BBB, con artists are posing as tech experts online claiming that "someone in your house has been watching online pornography."

Apparently, it's becoming a trend and the BBB is seeing an increasing number of similar tricks; and while we aren't here to judge, we are here to warn you not to fall for it.

The BBB says the way the scam works is usually someone will first discover something is wrong with their home computer or internet connection, so they'll search online for a customer support phone number. Oftentimes, those in a rush will click the first phone number "listed in a top result," the BBB said in the press release.

From there, the BBB says someone posing as a company representative will pick up the phone and ask a few standard questions about the device you're using. This might be asking what the make and model number is, and while it may seem normal initially, the BBB says the so-called representative will take things in a weird direction.

"This ‘tech support rep' has some creative stories to explain the issue," the BBB said. "They may insist that someone in your house has been watching pornography, and that has resulted in your computer being hacked. In one recent report, the 'representative' asked if the caller had a teenage son and then insisted the boy was to blame. In another case, ‘tech support’ claimed that ‘thousands of people’ had been using the caller's IP address to view pornography."

Cyberhackers steal photos, start subscription account

Being hacked is one thing, but making money off someone else’s identity is another. One woman claims her phone was hacked into and her personal photos were used to set up subscription-based social media accounts.

Needless to say, it's a setup for hackers to sell expensive computer security software, which typically costs between $200 and $900. Perhaps the worst of all is it does nothing to fix your computer or internet issues.

"In some cases, the scammers will also want remote access to your computer," the BBB explained. "Allowing them remote access enables them to install malware that records passwords, keystrokes, or other files that contain personal information."

Here are some ways to avoid tech support claims:

Never open attachments or links in emails from unknown senders. These can generate fake warning pop-ups that prompt you to make a call to scammers. If you get a suspicious pop-up alert, don't click on anything and restart your computer, tablet or phone.
Never give strangers remote access to your computer. You should only allow remote access to technicians of trustworthy companies you contacted through a legitimate customer service number or chat.
Avoid clicking on pop-up boxes or ads stating that something is wrong. If a pop-up won't go away, disconnect from the internet and wi-fi by shutting off the device immediately and restarting it.

For additional information and to report a scam to the BBB, click here.