TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A multi-million dollar tech support company that deceived customers out of more than $25 million was shut down, according to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The scam operated as Client Care Experts, formerly known as First Choice Tech Support, LLC, and is owned by CEO Michael Seward and his partner, Kevin McCormick, Bondi's office said.
Recommended Videos
They ran the tech support scam out of a boiler room in Boynton Beach and employed more than 200 telemarketers at the location, investigators said.
Bondi's office ordered the business shut down and the defendants' assets frozen.
“Floridians rely on computers to communicate with family and friends, make purchases and conduct business, and when scammers target these devices they can scare and frustrate consumers, especially our seniors. That is why we are working diligently to identify and stop tech scams targeting Floridians,” said Bondi.
Bondi’s original complaint alleges that the defendants used deceptive marketing tactics to create alarming pop-up windows on consumers’ computers claiming computers were infected.
The pop-up warnings directed consumers to contact a toll-free number that connected to the defendants’ boiler room, Bondi's office said.
Once connected to the boiler room, sales agents posing as computer technicians, claimed to conduct a computer diagnostic test that uncovered malware on the devices, according to Bondi.
The sales agents then convinced consumers to spend an average of $250 to fix the devices, investigators said.
The complaint seeks an injunction barring the defendants from engaging in deceptive business practices, and also seeks full restitution for consumers.