Tech Support Scammers Stole $85,000 From Him. His Bank Declined to Refund Him. [View all]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/business/tech-support-scam-bank-fraud.html

https://archive.ph/4OJTj

Tech Support Scammers Stole $85,000 From Him. His Bank Declined to Refund Him.
A retired lawyer lost the money in a tech support scam, a type of online fraud that is surging. Citibank said it couldn’t recover the funds, which criminals wired from inside his account.
By Tara Siegel Bernard
Dec. 12, 2025

David Welles, a retired lawyer, had been struggling with his new iPad for hours when he tried to call tech support.

But instead of dialing Microsoft to help him connect his email, the phone number he found on Google put him in touch with cybercriminals.

The smooth talking scammer who answered called himself Alex and built a rapport with Mr. Welles, assuring him that he could resolve his tech headaches. Before too long, Mr. Welles downloaded remote access software, both on his iPhone and his laptop, allowing the scammer to burrow deep inside of his devices, where he stored his username and passwords on his hard drive.

“A big mistake,” said Mr. Welles, who is 87. “All of a sudden, on the laptop, I could see it going blank, and little lights flashing around.”

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