Defend My Debt

03/01/2023

IRS impersonators have been around for a while. But as more people get to know their tricks, they’re switching it up. So instead of contacting you about a tax debt and making threats to get you to pay up, scammers may send you a text about a “tax rebate” or some other tax refund or benefit. He...

02/27/2023

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February 27, 2022

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CFPB Shuts Down Mortgage Loan Business of RMK Financial for Repeat Offenses Against Military Families

Mortgage lender violated 2015 CFPB order by continuing to advertise with unauthorized VA seals and FHA logos
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) permanently banned RMK Financial Corporation, which does business as Majestic Home Loans, from the mortgage lending industry by prohibiting RMK from engaging in any mortgage lending activities or receiving remuneration from mortgage lending. In 2015, the CFPB issued an agency order against RMK for, among other things, sending advertisements to military families that led the recipients to believe the company was affiliated with the United States government. Despite the 2015 order’s prohibition on these and other actions, the company engaged in a series of repeat offenses, including disseminating millions of mortgage advertisements to military families that deceptively used fake U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) seals, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) logo, and other language or design elements to falsely imply that RMK was affiliated with the government. In addition to the ban, RMK will also pay a $1 million penalty that will be deposited into the CFPB’s victims relief fund.

“Even after the 2015 law enforcement order, RMK continued to lie to military families by falsely implying government endorsement of its home loans,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Our action reflects our commitment to w**d out repeat offenders, and we are shutting down this outfit for good.”

RMK is a privately held corporation with its principal place of business in Ontario, California. RMK is a nonbank that is licensed as a mortgage broker or lender in at least 30 states and Puerto Rico. RMK originates consumer mortgages, including mortgages guaranteed by the VA and mortgages insured by the FHA. However, RMK is affiliated with neither government agency.

In 2015, the CFPB took action against RMK to end its use of deceptive mortgage advertising practices, including advertisements that led potential homebuyers to believe that the company was affiliated with the VA or FHA. RMK sent these deceptive advertisements to tens of thousands of military families as well as to other holders of VA-guaranteed mortgages. In addition to paying a fine, RMK was required to end its illegal and deceptive practices.

The CFPB has previously warned about VA home loan scams. Many servicemembers, veterans, and military spouses receive fraudulent calls and mailers from companies claiming to be affiliated with the government, the VA, or their home loan servicer.

In the case of RMK, the CFPB found that the company disseminated millions of mortgage advertisements to military families that made deceptive representations or contained inadequate or impermissible disclosures in violation of the 2015 order, the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the Mortgage Acts and Practices Advertising Rule, and the Truth in Lending Act. Specifically, the company harmed military families and other consumers by sending millions of advertisements for mortgages that:
• Tricked military families about the government’s role in sending the advertisements or providing the loans: RMK sent advertisements that misrepresented that RMK was, or was affiliated with, the VA or the FHA, that the VA or FHA sent the notices, or that the advertised loans were provided by the VA or FHA. Military families or others who view such advertisements may decide to purchase the advertised mortgage based on the trust they have in the government agencies.
• Deceived borrowers about interest rates and key terms: RMK’s advertisements illegally disclosed a simple annual interest rate more conspicuously than the annual percentage rate, illegally advertised unavailable credit terms, and used the name of the homeowner’s current lender in a misleading way. Consumers who view such advertisements may be misled about the terms being offered or mistakenly believe their current lender is sending the advertisement.
• Falsely misrepresented loan requirements and lied about projected savings from refinancing: RMK’s advertisements misrepresented that the benefits available to those who qualified for VA or FHA loans were time limited. Additionally, RMK’s advertisements misrepresented that military families could obtain VA cash-out refinancing loans without an appraisal and without incurring the cost of an appraisal, that an appraisal was not a condition of qualifying for VA cash-out refinancing loans, and that no minimum credit score and no income verification were required to qualify for VA cash-out refinancing loans. Finally, RMK’s advertisements misrepresented the amount of monthly payments, the annual savings under the advertised loans, and the cash available in connection with the advertised loans.

Enforcement Action
Under the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the CFPB has the authority to take action against institutions violating federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, which is intended to ensure that consumers can compare credit terms more readily and knowledgeably. Today’s order requires RMK to:
• Exit the mortgage lending business: RMK is permanently banned from engaging in any mortgage lending activities, including advertising, marketing, promoting, offering, providing, originating, administering, servicing, or selling mortgage loans, or otherwise participating in or receiving remuneration from mortgage lending, or assisting others in doing so.
• Pay a $1 million fine: RMK must pay a $1 million penalty to the CFPB, which will be deposited into the CFPB’s victims relief fund.
Today’s action is one in a series of actions the CFPB is taking to halt repeat offenders, particularly those that violate agency and court orders. The CFPB recently proposed a registry to detect repeat offenders in the financial marketplace. The action also complements broader efforts, including rulemaking by the Federal Trade Commission, to deter government and business impersonator scams.
Read today’s order.
Read I am a servicemember or veteran and I have decided to purchase a home. How do I know if a VA loan is the right fit for me?
Read more about VA loans.
Learn more about mortgage protections for veterans.
Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).
Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected]. To learn more about reporting potential industry misconduct, visit the CFPB’s website.

02/07/2023

CFPB Issues Guidance to Protect Mortgage Borrowers from Pay-to-Play Digital Comparison-Shopping Platforms
Financial arrangements that influence or manipulate search results are illegal
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued an advisory opinion to protect Americans from double dealing on digital mortgage comparison-shopping platforms. Companies operating these digital platforms appear to shoppers as if they provide objective lender comparisons, but may illegally refer people to only those lenders paying referral fees. When shoppers use a lender that is not the best option for their needs, they may end up with a lower quality lender or paying thousands more in closing costs or interest. The advisory opinion outlines how companies violate the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) when they steer shoppers to lenders by using pay-to-play tactics rather than providing shoppers with comprehensive and objective information.
“Given the rise in mortgage interest rates, it is even more important for homebuyers to shop and compare loan offers,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “We are working to ensure that online platforms are not manipulating their search results in order to coerce kickbacks from lenders.”
Over the last year, mortgage interest rates have risen substantially. People looking for the best deal on mortgages or other settlement services often are turning to comparison-shopping platforms and mobile apps. Many of the websites and applications claim to offer ranked lists of providers suitable to the individual consumer’s needs. After providing their personal data to an online site to get access or run a customized search, people reasonably expect a neutral and fair presentation of the providers that may best meet their mortgage or other settlement needs.
Under RESPA, it is illegal for companies and individuals, including digital comparison-shopping platforms, to receive kickbacks and referral fees in connection with a transaction involving a residential mortgage or other real estate settlement service. Eliminating illegal kickback schemes fosters fair competition by forcing lenders and other providers to compete on a level playing field and leads to lower rates and higher quality service.
Today’s advisory opinion seeks to assist law-abiding companies to comply with existing law. It does not create any new requirements, but rather offers clarity on how firms can navigate issues associated with digital mortgage comparison-shopping platforms. It describes how these companies may violate RESPA, and potentially other laws, if they coerce payments from mortgage professionals, unlawfully steer consumers, or engage in other illegal referral activities, including:
• Presenting one or more service providers in a non-neutral way: The platform’s operator presents lenders based on extracted referral payments rather than the shopper’s personal data or preferences or other objective criteria. For example, the operator presents a lender as the best option because that lender pays the highest referral fee. However, the shopper is led to believe the lender was selected based on their shared personal data or preferences. In one variation, digital mortgage comparison-shopping platforms may receive payments from lenders to rotate them as the top presented option regardless of whether the highlighted lender is the best fit for the shopper.
• Biasing the platform’s internal formula to favor preferred providers: The platform’s inputs or formula are manipulated to generate comparison options favoring higher-paying or preferred providers. For example, a platform’s formula is designed to steer shoppers to use providers in which the operator has a financial stake. In this case, the shopper is unaware that the platform’s formula was potentially designed to steer them away from non-preferred providers.
The Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 transferred authority for RESPA to the CFPB from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This advisory opinion supplements guidance HUD provided in 1996 on early versions of comparison-shopping platforms, which the CFPB continues to apply. The CFPB will enforce RESPA to protect consumers and to ensure a robust, competitive mortgage market. Today’s advisory opinion also follows a set of Frequently Asked Questions regarding RESPA published in 2020 to help entities understand their obligations under current law.
Read the advisory opinion, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X); Digital Mortgage Comparison-Shopping Platforms and Related Payments to Operators.
Read Director Chopra’s Statement on Mortgage Comparison Shopping in a Time of Higher Interest Rates.
Learn about the CFPB’s tools and resources for homebuyers.
The CFPB established the Advisory Opinion program in 2020 to provide guidance to companies about how existing federal consumer financial protection law applies to emerging market trends and business practices.
Consumers can submit complaints about mortgage and other financial products and services by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.

01/19/2023

January 19, 2023

CFPB Issues Guidance to Root Out Tactics Which Charge People Fees for Subscriptions They Don’t Want
New circular addresses dark patterns and other tricks used by companies to confuse and deceive consumers enrolled in subscription services

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new circular affirming that companies offering “negative option” subscription services must comply with federal consumer financial protection law. Negative option programs include subscription services that automatically renew unless the consumer affirmatively cancels, and trial marketing programs that charge a reduced fee for an initial period and then automatically begin charging a higher fee. Companies risk violating the law if they do not clearly and conspicuously disclose the terms of their subscription services and obtain consumers’ informed consent, or if they make it unreasonably difficult for consumers to cancel. Drawing from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent policy statement and the CFPB’s past enforcement cases, the circular highlights examples of unlawful behavior by companies that have used dark patterns and other manipulative tactics to trick consumers into paying recurring charges for products and services they do not want.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to cancel subscriptions they don’t want, and they shouldn’t have to worry about a trial marketing offer turning into an unwanted monthly charge,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB has made it clear that misleading consumers about products or subscription services they don’t want is not only dishonest, but also a violation of law.”

"Deceptive practices that seek to trap consumers into subscriptions they don’t want are a violation of the law," said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Today’s circular puts companies on notice that there is a government-wide effort to stop these manipulations."

Negative option marketing refers to a term or condition under which a seller may interpret a person’s silence or failure to cancel an agreement as continued acceptance of the offer. The CFPB has received complaints from consumers about being charged for products or services they did not intend to purchase or had sought to cancel, and has brought many enforcement actions involving unlawful negative option marketing practices.

The CFPB took action against Transunion for repeatedly breaking the law by violating a CFPB consent order and for deceptive marketing when selling credit scores, reports, and credit monitoring products. The CFPB sued ACTIVE Network for tricking consumers into enrolling into a costly membership club through the use of digital dark patterns. The CFPB has also entered into consent orders with numerous credit card issuers for deceptively marketing optional “add-on” products that charged recurring fees until consumers affirmatively cancelled.

Today’s circular highlights that negative option programs can be particularly harmful when paired with dark patterns because consumers may be misled into purchasing subscriptions and other services with recurring charges and be unable to cancel the unwanted products and services or avoid their charges. Digital dark patterns are design features used to deceive, steer, or manipulate users into behavior that is profitable for a company, but often harmful to users or contrary to their intent.

Companies offering negative option programs risk violating the Consumer Financial Protection Act’s (CFPA) prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices where they:
• Fail to disclose, clearly and conspicuously, the material terms of the negative option offer to the consumer: Companies likely violate the law if they misrepresent or fail to disclose information likely to inform a consumer’s decision about whether to enroll in a negative option service, including the amount of all charges and the fact that charges will continue unless the consumer takes affirmative steps to cancel.
• Fail to obtain the consumer’s informed consent: Companies should ensure that consumers genuinely agree to the terms of a negative option program. The CFPB has found or alleged that companies engaged in unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices when companies misrepresented or failed to disclose that they were offering negative option programs, which resulted in consumers not understanding that they were enrolling in services with recurring charges.
• Mislead or impede consumers wishing to cancel: A common practice of bad actors is requiring consumers to jump through complicated hoops to cancel subscription products or services, such as being forced to talk to customer service agents repeatedly, or for unreasonably long times, before granting a request to cancel.
Today’s circular continues the CFPB’s focus on raising awareness about the growing scourge of dark pattern practices and other harmful tactics that companies are using to trick consumers into paying for products or services they do not want. The CFPB is partnering with the FTC in its effort to combat the rise of digital dark patterns, and both agencies will continue to monitor these practices and bring agency actions where needed.
Read the Consumer Financial Protection Circular, Unlawful negative option marketing practices.

Read the FTC’s October 2021 policy statement on negative option marketing.
Consumers can submit complaints about dark patterns, and about financial products and services, by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).

Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected].
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.

01/10/2023

Hopefully other Indirect Lenders, such as Santander and Exeter, will face similar scrutiny for buying loans originated by predatory dealerships here in Oklahoma!

Credit Acceptance Corp was sued on Wednesday by the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who said the subprime auto lender engaged in predatory lending by driving low-income borrowers into used-car loans it knew they could not afford.

01/04/2023

CFPB and New York Attorney General Sue Credit Acceptance for Hiding Auto Loan Costs, Setting Borrowers Up to Fail
Major subprime auto lender targets Americans with loans that it predicts they cannot afford to repay

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the New York State Office of the Attorney General sued a predatory auto lender, Credit Acceptance Corporation, for misrepresenting the cost of credit and tricking its customers into high-cost loans on used cars. The car-buying experience turns into a nightmare for many of Credit Acceptance’s borrowers, who face unaffordable monthly payments, vehicle repossessions, and debt collection lawsuits. The joint complaint alleges that, among other things, Credit Acceptance hides costs in loan agreements and sets consumers up to fail. The complaint also alleges that Credit Acceptance violated New York usury limits and other consumer and investor protection laws. The lawsuit seeks to force Credit Acceptance to stop its illegal practices, reimburse harmed consumers, pay back wrongfully earned gains, and pay a penalty.
“Credit Acceptance obscured the true cost of its loans to car buyers, leading to severe financial distress for borrowers and subjecting them to aggressive debt collection tactics on loans its own systems predicted that borrowers can’t afford to repay,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB and the New York Attorney General seek to halt Credit Acceptance's illegal practices and make consumers whole.”
“CAC claimed to help low-income New Yorkers purchase cars, but instead, drove them straight into debt,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “CAC steered hardworking New Yorkers onto a path of financial ruin by tricking them into unaffordable, high-interest auto loans while cutting backroom deals with dealers to increase their own profits. These predatory actions hurt innocent people and left them with mountains of debt. I thank the CFPB for their partnership to stop this harm and protect everyday New Yorkers.”
Credit Acceptance (NASDAQ:CACC) is an indirect auto lender headquartered in Southfield, Michigan that funds and services used-car loans for people with low credit scores. Credit Acceptance is one of the country’s largest publicly traded auto lenders and does business with a network of more than 12,000 affiliated used-car dealers. From November 2, 2015 to April 30, 2021, approximately 1.9 million people obtained used car loans through Credit Acceptance and its affiliated dealers. In 2020 alone, consumers obtained more than $4.9 billion in Credit Acceptance-financed loans. The company’s loans typically carry very high interest rates.
Specifically, the company allegedly harmed consumers by:
• Hiding the true cost of credit: Since 2014, Credit Acceptance’s loan agreements nationwide have said that consumers would pay interest at an average 22% APR. However, the true cost of credit offered is far higher than what borrowers are told. This is because Credit Acceptance’s business model pushes dealers to manipulate the prices of vehicles sold to Credit Acceptance borrowers, based on borrowers’ projected performance. This increases the principal balance of the loans. By hiding the true cost of the credit in inflated principal balances, Credit Acceptance evades state interest rate caps and deprives consumers of the ability to make informed decisions, to compare financing options, or to avoid high interest charges.
• Setting up borrowers to fail: Credit Acceptance ensured its own profits by providing loans without regard to whether borrowers could afford them. For almost 4 out of 10 loans, Credit Acceptance predicted that it would not be able to collect the full amount financed by the loan. Credit Acceptance profits even when borrowers are unable to pay their loans in full by using aggressive debt collection methods. As a result of Credit Acceptance’s practices, customers faced late fees, repossessions, auctions, post-repossession collection efforts, lawsuits, and ruined credit profiles.
• Closing its eyes to practices that harmed consumers: The company created financial incentives for dealers to add extra products to loans and then shrugged off whether customers were misled into thinking the add-on products were required. Add-on products, such as vehicle service contracts, are a profit center for Credit Acceptance. They represented about $250 million in revenue in 2020 alone.
When borrowers default on loans, it can lead to severe consequences, including wage garnishment and an inability to borrow money in the future. A default on an auto loan can also lead to the borrower losing their means of transportation, which can cause job loss and a further spiral of damaged credit and financial distress.
This is not the only action targeting Credit Acceptance for violation of consumer financial protection laws. For example, last year, the Massachusetts Attorney General secured more than $27 million for thousands of families harmed by Credit Acceptance.
Enforcement Action
Under the Consumer Financial Protection Act, the CFPB has the authority to take action against institutions violating consumer financial protection laws, including engaging in unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices. The CFPB is seeking injunctive relief, monetary relief for consumers, disgorgement of unjust gains, and a civil money penalty.
Over the last decade, the CFPB has consistently partnered with states across the country to enforce federal and state consumer financial protections. Federal law authorizes state attorneys general and state regulators to enforce certain provisions of the Consumer Financial Protection Act. State enforcers can also bring their own claims under state law, including violations of state usury limits.
The complaint is not a final finding or ruling that the defendants have violated the law.
Read today’s complaint.
Auto loans are the third largest category of outstanding consumer debt, after mortgages and student loans. In recent years, the cost of vehicles has risen substantially, leading to increased borrowing. Over the last year, the CFPB has increased its monitoring of the auto lending market. The CFPB is also exploring ways to enhance the availability of data about the market.
Consumers can submit complaints about auto loan products, and about other financial products and services, by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).
Employees who believe their companies have violated federal consumer financial protection laws are encouraged to send information about what they know to [email protected]. To learn more about reporting potential industry misconduct, visit the CFPB’s website.
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov.

02/01/2022

By Craig Briskin, Richard Zitrin Anti-Secrecy Senior Attorney Judges sometimes make the news when they unseal court documents revealing that corporations are harming the public. Such cases are usually tort actions, involving products like Oxycontin, ci******es, Roundup, and Re*****on rifles. But rec...

01/27/2022

CFPB Identifies Consumer Reporting Companies the Public Can Hold Accountable
Updated list names financial surveillance companies that people can use to access their own files and sue if they violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released its annual list of consumer reporting companies. The list identifies dozens of specialty reporting companies that collect and sell access to people’s data, including individuals’ finances, employment, check writing histories, or rental history records, often without their knowledge. Using the list, people can exercise their right to see what information these firms have, dispute inaccuracies, and file lawsuits if the firms are violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
“Many companies assemble and sell detailed dossiers about us that can determine whether we can get a loan, job, or an apartment,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “Americans have limited legal rights they can use to keep tabs on these surveillance companies and hold them accountable when they violate the law.”
In the United States, the majority of landlords and employers rely on tenant screeners and employment background checks in the course of deciding whether to accept a rental application or offer someone a job. As families recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking new jobs or places to live, errors in these databases can severely harm their financial lives.
While the three nationwide consumer reporting companies – Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian – allow people to check their reports for free once a week through December 2022, many of the specialty companies charge people a fee to access this data. The list published today allows people to see which companies provide this information for free, as well as search for those that provide specialized reporting by specific markets, including employment, tenant, insurance, and medical.
People are frequently in the best position to know if their information is accurate. If an individual finds information in their consumer reports that appears to be inaccurate, they have the right to file a dispute and the consumer reporting company is required to conduct a reasonable investigation.
The CFPB has previously highlighted problems that consumers have reported about the three nationwide reporting companies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, not adequately responding to consumer complaints about errors. The CFPB also issued an advisory opinion in November 2021 affirming that all consumer reporting companies, including tenant and employment screening companies, have an obligation to use reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy.
People who have a problem with credit or consumer reporting, such as tenant screening or background checks, can submit a complaint to the CFPB online or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).
View the 2022 list of consumer reporting companies
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that implements and enforces Federal consumer financial law and ensures that markets for consumer financial products are fair, transparent, and competitive. For more information, visit consumerfinance.gov

01/18/2022

What you should know about tech support scams
Leer en Español

By Lisa Schifferle – JAN 12, 2021
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During the pandemic, we’re doing more online – working, connecting with family and friends, shopping, and banking. So, if something goes wrong with your device, you want to fix it right away. Scammers are preying on this, offering phony tech support services. Here’s what you should know about tech support scams.

How to spot tech support scams
Scammers take advantage of your reasonable concerns about viruses and other threats, but their real goal isn’t to protect your computer. Instead, they want to sell you useless services, steal your credit card number, or install malware, which lets them see everything on your computer.

How do you know if you’re being scammed? Here are three common scenarios:

Scenario #1: Unsolicited call from tech support
You get a call from someone who says he’s a computer technician. Maybe he claims to be from a well-known company. He says there are viruses or other malware on your computer to trick you into giving him remote access to your computer or buying software you don’t need. He may ask you to pay by gift card or wire transfer.

Scenario #2: Unknown pop-up appears on your screen
A pop-up window appears on your computer screen with a message warning of a security issue on your computer and tells you to call a phone number to get help. The person who answers may pretend to run a diagnostic test and claim to identify more problems.

Scenario #3: Unsolicited email about a suspended account
You get an email saying your account has been suspended. In a recent twist, scammers are sending emails saying your Zoom account has been suspended or you missed a meeting. If you click on the link, it will install malware allowing the scammers to see what’s on your computer.

How to avoid tech support scams
Here are four tips to protect against tech support scams:

Never give control of your computer to someone who contacts you out of the blue. Criminals can spoof phone numbers, so you can’t rely on Caller ID. Avoid giving anyone you don’t know access to your computer, or your credit card information.
Don’t click links in unsolicited pop-ups or emails. If an unknown pop-up appears on your screen, avoid clicking on any links. The same is true for unsolicited emails. Instead, navigate to the company’s site by typing in their URL.
Maintain your anti-virus software. Use trusted anti-virus security software and make sure to update it regularly.
Recognize legitimate tech companies. Legitimate companies won’t contact you by phone, email or text message to say there’s a problem with your computer. Security pop-up warnings from real tech companies won’t ask you to call a phone number.
Act quickly if you’ve been scammed
If you’ve been scammed and you paid by credit or debit card, contact your credit card company or bank to ask them to stop the transaction. If you paid with a gift card, immediately contact the company that issued the card , and tell them you paid a scammer and ask if they can refund your money.

You should also report any tech support scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov .

For more information on fraud and scams, download the CFPB and FDIC’s Money Smart for Older Adults resource guide.