Washington, D.C. – Following a nearly fivefold increase in the amount of money Maine seniors lost to fraud in 2022, U.S. Senator Susan Collins is warning the public to be on alert.  

The most common type of fraud reported last year was the so-called tech and customer support scheme with 17,800 complaints filed by victims older than 60 across the country.

These scams often involve fraudsters posing as technical support representatives from companies, such as Microsoft or Apple, and contacting victims to convince them that their computer has a problem or a virus that needs to be fixed. The scammers then offer to fix the supposed issue for a fee or by gaining access to the victim's computer remotely, which allows them to steal personal and financial information.

“It is outrageous that these criminals are exploiting Mainers to rob them of their hard earned savings and personal information,” said Senator Collins.  “It is important that we all take steps to protect ourselves from tech support scams and other forms of financial exploitation. All Mainers should be wary of phone calls, texts, or emails from unknown sources that demand you to take immediate action or provide personal information.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers the following tips to protect yourself from scams:

    If you get a phone call you didn’t expect from someone who says there’s a problem with your computer, hang up. Legitimate tech companies won’t contact you by phone, email, or text message to tell you there’s a problem with your computer.

    If you see a pop-up window on your computer with a phone number, don’t call the number. Real security warnings and messages will never ask you to call a phone number or click on a link.

    If you think there may be a problem with your computer, update your computer’s security software and run a scan.

    If you’re looking for tech support, go to a company you know and trust.

    If you suspect that you have been the victim of a tech support scam, report it to the FTC immediately.

Senator Collins has been a longtime leader in the effort to protect consumers from fraud and support seniors. Over a period of seven years, while serving as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Aging Committee, she held 25 hearings on a wide variety of scams defrauding seniors.