The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be issuing $1.7 million in refunds to nearly 58,000 victims of “Click4Support” scammers claiming to be from Apple and other tech firms that tricked them into believing their computers were infected by viruses and malware.
The scam operated under the title “Click4Support” and used search engine ads and browser popups to trick unsuspecting users into believing their computers had been infected. The website would then direct users to call and purchase “tech support services” that were not needed.
The FTC says Click4Support scammed more than $17 million dollars out of customers by pretending to represent major tech firms, including Apple and Microsoft. The scammers tricked users into paying or useless support services they did not require.
The 58,000 refunds, each averaging around $30, will be paid out to victims mostly via PayPal. However, 147 of the victims will be issued checks. Those that receive checks are advised to deposit or cash their check within 60 days.
The FTC also advises potential refund recipients of scam that masquerade as FTC refund offers. The Commissions says it never requires people to pay money or provide account information to cash a refund check. If recipients have questions about the refunds, they should contact the FTC’s refund administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-877-389-4472.