Posted on 05/27/2016 7:17:06 AM PDT by KeyLargo
Pam Bondi shuts down companies allegedly involved in tech support scam ring
Jul 8, 2016, 2:57pm EDT
Three Boynton Beach companies were among a ring of businesses temporarily shut down by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Federal Trade Commission for their roles in an alleged international tech support scam.
The companies allegedly bilked consumers out of millions of dollars, according to Bondi’s office, which announced the shutdown Friday.
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According to the complaint, Big Dog Solutions LLC, PC Help Desk US LLC and Inbound Call Specialist LLC were the Boynton Beach-based companies allegedly part of a tech scheme that scared computer users into believing their computers were being attacked by malware and hackers.
The defendants would allegedly cause pop-ups to display on customers’ computers, warning that their devices had been compromised and to call a toll-free number to safeguard their personal identifying information.
The defendants used telemarketers at a call center in Boynton Beach who claimed that they were certified or authorized by Microsoft and Apple to service computers, and that they were “partnered” with those tech companies, according to the complaint. The problem was they were not associated with Microsoft or Apple, the complaint said.
Once customers gave the telemarketers an OK to resolve the problem, they would access their computers remotely and then run a series of diagnostic tests, which the complaint alleges were “nothing more than a high-pressure sales pitch designed to scare consumers.”
The alleged scheme would eventually lead computer users to believe their devices were in need of repair, and that they could either take them to Best Buy or Staples, or go the cheaper and more cost-effective route of letting the telemarketers remotely fix the computers, according to the complaint.
Those remote fixes cost between $200 and $400, according to the complaint. Ongoing technical support was reportedly offered at about $9.99 and $19.99 a month.
The defendants, who are charged with unfair trade practices, deceptive telemarketing calls and more, could not be immediately reached.
Nina Lincoff covers banking, finance, and insurance. Get the latest banking news with our free daily newsletter. Click here to subscribe.
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