OCPD warning residents of computer repair scams

OCEAN CITY, Md. – The Ocean City Police Department is warning citizens of a recent computer support scam.

Police say the scammers use spoofed phone numbers claiming to be Apple Support. They say the scam started with an automated call that showed Apple’s logo, address, and legitimate Apple phone number that tells the user to return the call because of a data breach. The victim then returned the call and was asked to pay for support through either a wire transfer or gift cards.

According to detectives, an indication from scammers is the request to purchase Google Play Cards and have the victim send the information from the card to the scammer.

The OCPD wants to offer a few steps to help spot similar scams:

• Be cautious of unsolicited offers. If you didn’t ask for computer repair services, a legitimate company would not have known that it was needed
• Be wary if the seller only accepts wire transfers, gift cards, or cash
• When asked to pay with a credit card online, make sure the site is secure and reputable before giving your card number
• Research the company before agreeing to the service

Anyone in the area that believes they may have been a victim of a similar scam should contact their local police department.