VICTIMS of the tech support scam have recently reported having their bank accounts raided, with two Perth men losing $10,000 each.
The scammers gained access to one man's computer after calling and claiming to be from Microsoft, convincing him there was a problem which needed fixing.
The scammer prompted the victim to inadvertently disclose sensitive personal information, allowing them to set up an internet banking account for the man, who had never done his banking online.
Another man received a call from who he thought was Telstra offering to upgrade his Windows XP computer for $5.
He allowed them access to his computer and had then logged on to his internet banking where his accounts may have been hacked.
The scammers stole $4000 from his bank account and then a further $6000 from his credit card when he used it to pay the $5 fee.
Several other victims from the South West have reported losing money after being randomly contacted by scammers posing as technical support staff.
A Bunbury woman lost $5000 when she gave personal details to a scammer selling a security package for her mobile phone and computer.
A Busselton woman had almost $1200 stolen after a Western Union account was created using her personal details.
The scammers said they were from Telstra.
An elderly couple from Busselton had $400 stolen when the scammers set up a Paypal account using their personal information.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll said the cases were an alarming escalation of a long-running scam which had caught out hundreds of innocent victims in WA.
"Losses to this scam in the past have been limited to $200-$300 for most victims, but these recent raids on consumers' bank and credit card accounts involving much higher amounts is disturbing," Ms Driscoll said.
"Apart from losing their money, the victims also have the added cost of having their computers checked for malware or spyware and some have had to buy new computers.
"The message is clear, hang up on anyone who calls out of the blue claiming to be from Microsoft, Windows Support, Telstra, BigPond, Apple or any reputable company and wanting to access your computer to fix a problem.
"These companies will never do this, unless you contact them first.
"Never allow anyone to have remote access to your computer, unless you have initiated the contact.
"Your personal information is the key to unlock your financial accounts, so guard it carefully and ensure you don't become one of the many victims of this tech support scam."
Further information and advice on scams can be found on the WA ScamNet website scamnet.wa.gov.au.