The Better Business Bureau has sent out a warning: beware of pop-ups on your smart TVs that appear to be linked to scammers. The idea is to steal your personal information and money.
The BBB explains how the scam works. You open a streaming service on your smart TV, but can’t log in. Instead, you get a pop-up message from scammers pretending to be customer service representatives. They will ask you to pay an activation fee or allow them remote access to your smart TV. “These con artists will get your credit or debit card number if you pay the fee. If you give them access to your device or click on a link they provide, the scammers may install malware on your TV and use it to gain access to sensitive personal information,” according to information from the BBB.
To avoid getting scammed, the BBB advises consumers to double-check any fees you have to pay to make sure they are legitimate. If a customer service phone number appears in a pop-up, check before you call. You can always check the TV manufacturers website to get their customer support number. Also, the BBB says you should never let anyone control your device remotely. Report any such scam activity to BBB.org/ScamTracker.