What do you believe is the single most important factor driving up the cost of living in Nigeria?

No, it's not really Apple or Microsoft popping up on your screen to tell you your computer has been infected.

It's scammers trying to convince you to call them and divulge sensitive information, which may include passwords, bank or credit account information or Social Security numbers.

"They use the reputation of the brand [for legitimacy purposes] to make it seem more real," said Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at The National Cybersecurity Alliance. "Because, who doesn't know Microsoft or Apple as a brand?"

Consumers are likely to see more of these types of scams now, in the wake of Apple's recent release of its new iPhone. There tends to be a rise in scams when a new product or version is released because it's easier for scammers taking advantage of news headlines to strike while the iron is hot, said Nati Tal, head of Guardio Labs, which identifies, monitors and mitigates internet security threats. "In a very small time period, they will get tons and tons of potential victims."

The scams can affect anyone, but as has been the case with other recent tech-linked consumer crime waves, such as bitcoin ATM fraud, the elderly are especially vulnerable. Last year, nearly 18,000 victims aged 60 and over reported tech support scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, making it the most widely reported kind of elder fraud in 2023. Fraud losses from tech support scams against the elderly amounted to $590 million of losses — and that's only reported cases.

These types of scams are getting even harder to spot because of AI, especially when the scheme uses a known company logo to make it look legit. Here's what people should know to protect themselves from scams targeting commonly used, trusted tech brands:

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