Modern society is, in general, controlled by a digital landscape. Almost every household has some sort of computer within its walls. With so many devices distributed throughout the world, the opportunity for scammers is endless. There are very competent tech gurus in every corner of the globe. On the other hand, there are also folks that are less knowledgeable in such arenas. Unfortunately, even sophisticated, knowledgeable people are taken advantage of through the advent of tech support scams. These scams can be initiated through several means. Pop-up messages are a popular way of kicking off this scam. You may see a window that continues popping up in a loop. This box may say that you have a virus or that your computer requires tech support assistance. There is often a fake phone number or email address for you to contact. This may also be attempted through fake websites, email, or text messages. Once you get on the phone with a “tech support professional” they will use scare tactics to convince you that your computer is having issues and that they need to connect to your device to help remediate the issues. At some point, the scammer will instruct you to install a remote access tool so they can connect to your device. During this connection, scammers will then use simple commands to try and convince you that your computer does in fact have an issue. They will then tell you about their cost for remediation and demand you pay it. Major companies will not contact you directly regarding issues. These organizations do not have the ability to determine if your computer is infected. Disconnect the call immediately and don’t respond to further attempts and remove any software they instructed you to download. If cryptocurrency or gift cards are required for payment, it’s a scam.
Tech Support Scams
If you're asked to install software or pay for tech support through pop-ups, calls, or emails—it's a scam, so disconnect and never share access to your device.
