DENVER — It’s a situation to which many of us can relate: Being stuck trying to download a video from YouTube or convert a document into a PDF.
A host of online services claim to be able to convert them for free.
But the FBI is now sounding the alarm about an increase in scams involving these online file converters, saying they could cost you if you try cutting corners. The agency said scammers are using those services to load malware onto users’ devices and steal information.
The online tools will likely do their job and generate the converted file the user wants, the FBI said, but the downloaded file can contain malware that give scammers access to email addresses, passwords, social security numbers, cryptocurrency information and other personal identifiers.
- Denver7 Investigates sat down with an FBI agent to hear what users should look for, and how to protect yourself. Watch in the video player below:
“That download could be putting onto your computer or your network some malware – software that would then allow criminals to come back into your network or your computer and conduct further criminal activity, such as a ransomware attack,” said Marvin Massey, an assistant special agent in charge with the FBI’s Denver field office.
Online file converters have been around for years. We asked Massey how long the scam has been on the FBI’s radar.
“This is a scam we're seeing across the country, and it's becoming rampant,” he said.
“Within Colorado, we had an incident here as recently as two weeks ago within the Denver metro area.”
We asked him what signs to look for that indicate a user has been impacted by a scam like this.
“Some of your first signs [are] when your antivirus software detects malware that's been downloaded to your system,” he said. “If you're working in a business or an institution, your IT department may contact you because there's a virus or malware that resolves to your machine or some of the actions that you've taken.”
Another indicator is if you try to access banking information or other online accounts and notice your passwords have been changed or you see suspicious activity.
Prosecuting the criminals behind these scams can be a challenge, Massey said. Not only are they committing the crime from behind a screen, but many are also doing so from overseas.
The FBI says users should keep their virus scan software up to date and scan files downloaded from the internet before opening it. Additionally, Massey says users should simply slow down and think while using online tools.
“The one thing that I would ask people to do when they're doing things online is to kind of take a pause before they actually download or use one of these kinds of file converters,” he said.
If you think you’ve been a victim of one of these scams, you should change your passwords on a trusted device and contact your bank. You should also file a formal complaint to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. You can access that site here.
