Urgent warning as Ryedale residents fall victim to new ‘remote access’ scam

Remote Access scams are where victims are called on the telephone and the fraudsters try to convince you to give them remote access to your computer and your online banking.

This is known as remote access takeover, or computer access takeover. If this happens, the criminals will be able to access all your files and see what you’re typing.

With this type of scam, someone may call you out of the blue, claiming to be your bank, an internet or utility company, or even the police.

They’ll try to convince you to give them remote access to your computer. They may say they can help with something like a slow internet connection, or fix a virus.

The fraudsters may also ask you to download software, visit a specific website or follow instructions which give them control.

The scammers may offer a refund for your inconvenience. They’ll then try to persuade you to log on to online banking to check you've received the money. The scammer will still have remote access, meaning they can see everything you’re typing – including your online banking log on details.

They may also ask you for a code sent by the bank so they can ‘process the refund’. Handing this information over gives them everything they need to move money from your account.

In some cases, the scammers may move money between your accounts so it looks like they’ve sent too much. They’ll then convince you to send it back to them. In reality it’ll be your own money you’re ‘returning’ to them.

To stay safe from this type of scam, North Yorkshire Police have issued some tips to remember.

Don’t give access to your computer to anyone you don’t know and be careful how you share your personal information

If someone has remote access to your computer, don’t log on to online banking or anything else which could allow them to gain access to any passwords, security information or log on details and do not pass on security codes.

If you've given remote access to someone in this way on your laptop or desktop then you should immediately switch off, preferably at the power source.

Disconnect from the internet - for example, move out of range of your Wi-Fi router or unplug the internet cable.

f you've given remote access to someone from your mobile phone, disable or switch off the 4G or 5G signal on your phone.

Move out of range of any Wi-Fi router.

This is the only way to stop them being able to connect so you can regain full control. A remote access connection will work over any available internet connection, so simply restarting or rebooting won't be enough to block fraudsters.

Contact your bank immediately if you've given access to your online account.

Contact the police on 101.

Once you're back in control, you must delete any remote access software that you’ve installed.