Scammers can be truly ingenious when it comes to parting money and personal details from people, but these days they have to evolve quickly; people are becoming so wise to their ways. On that note, however, there are some scams which seem to get people again and again; the “computer support scam” is one of these.
Read on to find out how the computer support scam works.
Computer support scam
The idea is fairly simply, and yet often effective; malware is deployed to damage an individual’s computer, and the scammer then steps in to offer “technical support”. With this simple equation many a scammer is successful in getting money or information from people under the guise of computer support.
Fake computer support assistants
You might notice a pop-up, one day, claiming to be from Microsoft or Apple which informs you of problems in your computer’s systems and requests that you call a certain number, or even email a specific email address. When you do you will later be contacted by a fake computer support rep who will tell you they know what the problem is and how to fix it. At this point they will request payment, or even remote access to your PC (Big warning sign! They will have access to your personal information!).
Website hosted computer support scams
These scams are commonly hosted on websites. You could be browsing quite happily when this message pops up, or the screen goes blank, but in any case the number provided could very well be a high-fee number, or one setup to take you to a scammer looking for details. If in doubt do not call the number provided on the pop-up, as this is where most scams start.
If you fear that you have already been targeted by a computer support scam, you should take the following precautions:
- Uninstall or disable all remote management tools you may have.
- Clean your computer with anti-malware/anti-virus software
- Ensure your computer is fully up to date
- Change your passwords
- Report the scam with credit card providers and your bank
- Watch for unusual activity
- Restore your computer to an earlier date.
If you have been a victim of a tech support scam let us know about your experiences in the comments section below.
Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4013405/windows-protect-from-tech-support-scams
