Hacker steals $16,000 from Cape Coral neighbor, posed as Apple tech

A victim thought an Apple tech was helping them fix their computer. But, it turn out, it was a hacker. Now, they’re out tens of thousands of dollars.

A neighbor in Cape Coral says they lost $16,000 to a hacker who tricked them over the phone into thinking they were an Apple employing calling to provide technical support.

“I’m hoping I would never be a victim of that,” neighbor Dianne Waunsch said.

Experts say there is one way to stay safe: Always call the company yourself.

No one wants to fall victim, but one phone call answered in Waunsch’s neighborhood lost someone hard-earned cash.

Cape Coral Police Department says the caller on the other line told Waunsh’s neighbor they were working for Apple support and was able to gain access to the victim’s computer.

”I would think that would very easily fool people, especially if you don’t know and there’s something wrong with your computer,” Waunsch said.

Instead of fixing tech issues, the hacker used personal information to steal the money.

Rich Kolko, WINK News’ Safety & Security Specialist, says the victim may never get their money back.

“This is the number-one way scammers are going to try and steal your money,” Kolko said. “They are going to break into your computer, steal all your information, which also includes bank information.”

We reached out to Apple, and the company is aware of these scams. They also say, if someone calls claiming to be Apple, hang up and call the company directly.

Kolko says there’s one major thing to look out for.

“You never want to accept a call from them if you got a problem with your computer,” Kolko said. “You have to be the one that reaches out to the computer company, in this case, Apple, to ask for assistance. As soon as the call comes unsolicited, that makes it suspicious.”

RESOURCES

• Apple Support | Avoid phishing emails, fake ‘virus’ alerts, phony support calls, and other scams
• Federal Trade Commission | How to Spot, Avoid and Report Tech Support Scams