Placer County Sheriff Issues Public Service Announcement About Malvertising Scams

Details: Last Updated: Monday, 03 November 2025 03:45; Published: Monday, 03 November 2025 05:48

Public Service Announcement: Malvertising Scams

November 3, 2025 – Placer County Sheriff's Office officials report that Malvertising (malicious advertising) is a PCSO scam cybercrime tactic where scammers place deceptive ads online to:

Install malware on your device

Trick you into providing sensitive information

Demand payment for fake tech support or software

You don’t need to click anything to be affected - just visiting a compromised site with an outdated browser can trigger infection.

COMMON MALVERTISING TACTICS:

Scam Tech Support Ads

Pop-ups warn your device is "infected" and urge you to call for help. Scammers take remote control and demand payment.

Do NOT call. Do NOT pay.

Fake Software Installers

Malicious ads mimic trusted websites. You believe you're downloading legitimate software, but instead, malware is installed.

Only download software from official sources.

Drive-By Downloads

Just loading a page with a malicious ad can silently infect your device—no clicking required.

Keep your browser and operating system updated.

IF THEY ASK FOR PAYMENT – DO NOT PAY

Never give credit card or banking information

Do not allow remote access to your device

Do not trust unsolicited pop-ups or support calls

IF YOU’VE BEEN TARGETED:

Call your local law enforcement agency immediately – for those who live in unincorporated Placer County, that would be us! Give us a call at (530) 886-5375.

We’re not cool with our residents being targeted, we will investigate. To help our detectives out, make sure you preserve any evidence such as screenshots, phone numbers, or emails used by the scammer.

Source: Placer County Sheriff's Office

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