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FTC expands rules to hold tech support scammers accountable

The FTC has amended its rules so that it can go after tech support scammers even if it's the customer who calls them up.

It has just approved amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule that expands its coverage to include "inbound" calls to companies pitching "technical support services through advertisements or direct mail solicitations." Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, explained that the new rule will allow the agency to hold these scammy businesses accountable and to get money back for the victims. Tech support scams typically trick potential victims into calling them by sending them emails or triggering pop-up alerts claiming that their computer has been infected with malware.

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