Online trading scams use AnyDesk or TeamViewer to access their victims’ screens and get access to their bank accounts or wallets to transfer their funds. Screen sharing is a super dangerous feature in principle and consumers should be super cautious when sharing their screens. A new FCA research has found that 47% of investors would fail to identify a screen-sharing scam. Screen sharing scam cases increased by 86% in one year, with 2,014 cases and over £25 million in losses.
- The FCA has seen 2,142 cases seen since July 2020, with over £25 million lost between 1 January 2021 and 31 March 2022 and victims ranging from 18 to over 70.
- The FCA’s latest ScamSmart campaign aims to raise awareness of these tactics and help investors spot the warning signs by checking its Warning List.
- Its research shows that 51% of investors would check the FCA’s Warning List before making an investment – but 47% would not see a request to use software or an app to access their device as a red flag.
We never recommend sharing your screen with so-called account managers of financial service providers such as online trading or crypto exchanges. In 9 out of 10 cases, you will lose either your money or your data. Products like AnyDesd or TeamViewer are tools for these scammers who pretend to help you. Once scammers gain access to your screen, they have complete control and access to your sensitive banking and investment information.
