In the last years we have seen a trend of tech support scams. These are fraudulent schemes designed to extract money from unsuspecting victims by offering nonexistent or bogus technical support services. The scammers often use high-pressure tactics and scare tactics to trick people into paying for services that they don’t need. There are some things you can do to prevent tech support scams like educating yourself and installing and updating security tools like Guard.io that will protect your computer from any malware. In this article, we will discuss those options in more detail.
What are Tech support Scams?
Tech support scams are a type of fraud where scammers pose as technical support representatives and try to trick you into paying for unnecessary or fake services. They may call you out of the blue and pretend to be from Microsoft or Apple. They may also pop up on your screen when you are browsing the web with a fake warning that your computer is infected.
They will then offer to help you fix the problem by running a “scan” or “diagnostic test” on your computer. Once they have gained your trust, they will ask you to pay for their “services”, which are often useless software programs that can actually harm your computer.
How Scams Operate?
Tech support scams typically follow a similar pattern. The scammer will contact you out of the blue, often using a pop-up message or an unsolicited phone call. They’ll claim to be from tech support and say that there’s a problem with your computer.
They might say that your computer has been infected with a virus or that there’s an issue with your internet connection. They might even pretend to be from Microsoft or another well-known company and tell you that there’s a problem with your Windows license.
Once they have your attention, they’ll try to sell you unnecessary services or software. They might also pressure you into giving them remote access to your computer so they can fix the “problem”.
What are the red flags?
There are some key red flags that you can look for to spot a tech support scam.
-The unsolicited contact: if you didn’t ask for help, then it’s likely to be a scam.
-The high-pressure tactics: scammers will often try to rush you into making a decision or paying for their services. They might say that the problem is urgent or that they only have a limited time to offer their services.
-The scare tactics: scammers will often try to scare you into paying by saying that your computer has been infected with a virus or that it’s at risk of being hacked. They might
How to protect yourself
There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from these scams:
First, be aware of the most common scam techniques. Tech support scammers will often try to create a sense of urgency or fear by telling you that your computer is infected with a virus or that it has been hacked. They may also claim that they are from a well-known company like Microsoft or Apple and offer to help you fix the problem.
Second, don’t trust unsolicited calls or pop-ups. If you get a call from someone claiming to be from tech support, hang up. And if you see a pop-up message that warns you about a problem with your computer, close it. Don’t click on any links or call the number provided.
Third, don’t give control of your computer to anyone who calls you unsolicited. Scammers may try to pressure you into giving them remote access to your computer so they can “fix” the problem. But once they have access, they can install malicious software that can steal your personal information or allow them to take over your machine entirely.
Fourth, keep your security software up to date and run regular scans for malware. This will help protect your computer from viruses and other malware that scammers may try to install.
Finally, be cautious about providing personal information or payment information over the phone or online. Scammers may pretend to be from a legitimate company and try to get you to give them your credit card number or bank account information. If you’re not sure whether a call or pop-up is from a scammer, don’t take any chances – just hang up or close it down.