Phantom Hacker scam targets anyone, experts warn, and some have lost entire life savings
The Phantom Hacker scam can target anyone.
There are three parts to it and that's part of of why the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) says it's so convincing.
First you might get a pop up or a message that will tell you there's something wrong with your bank account and it will give you a phone number to call for help.
"I have seen this happen before with relatives where it takes over the whole screen and it looks like you can't do anything about it except for call the number," Director of Information and Engagement with the National Cybersecurity Alliance Cliff Steinhauer said.
You call that number and the scammer will pretend to be with IT and have you download a remote viewing software.
"They scare you into working with them and giving them access to your computer," Steinhauer said.
The scammers will then tell you hackers have gotten access to your bank accounts so you need to set up and move it into a third party account.
Because you have that remote viewing software installed they can see all your personal and financial information.
Here is a breakdown of the three parts:
One: The scammers pretend to be tech support and will convince you they're helping you fix a problem or an issue. This is where the remote viewing software comes in.
Two: They will then pretend to be your bank and tell you to set up a third part account or wire your money somewhere else.
Three: They will even pretend to be the government to convince you your money isn't safe unless you move it.
The National Coalition on Aging (NCOA) says the Phantom Hacker Scam will try to target anyone, but they tend to go after older adults and in some cases have been able to get their entire life savings.
"They are perceived to have larger savings and retirement funds that they can tap into," Ebony White, with the National Coalition on Aging, said.
"They can gain more control by layering these tactics," White said. "It just helps people to really feel like, 'Oh, something's really going on here.'"
If you ever get a pop up or message that says something is wrong with your computer or your bank account you should turn your machine off, according to the NCA.
The bottom line is the FBI won't ever have you send any money, the NCA says you shouldn't download any software or click on any links and do not trust any phone numbers that are given to you. Experts say if you are worried about a possible issue you should call your bank directly to verify.
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