“Your personal computer is damaged, but there’s a way to repair it.” Perhaps you’ve received a message like this from the newest tech support scam. Software is available online that claims to boost computer performance, but it is often nothing more than a scam.
Targeting you through web searches or pop-up ads, they lure you to their sites only to give you a phone number to call in order to register and activate the software. Over the phone, they tell you they need remote access to your computer to do a comprehensive sweep for malware and fix anything right away.
This helps their plan along of selling you supposed tech support and security services or software. The truth is your computer is running normally. Their goal is to charge you, ideally in excess of one hundred dollars, for services or software that you don’t need in the first place and does nothing for your computer.
The FTC filed a lawsuit against some of these fake tech support companies – Pairsys, Inbound Call Experts, and Vast Tech Support – for falsifying performance problems or security issues on a user’s computer. After the FTC’s lawsuit, three federal judges put an end to the tech support scams on trial.
How to avoid tech support scams:
- Discover ways to defend your computer against malware.
- Don’t supply your passwords, credit card details or other financial information to a supposed tech support representative.
- Don’t provide remote access to your computer for the purposes of activating software. Read through the software instructions and activate the software by yourself.
- Don’t provide remote access to your computer to anyone who calls for no reason and claims to be a tech support representative. Hang up immediately and call the company directly for more information.
What to do if you are the victim of a tech support scam:
- Delete all malware that the scammers installed in your computer. Using legitimate protection software, run a search for malware and delete anything seen as a problem or threat.
- Reset all passwords you may have given out. Change the password for all sites that use that same password.
- If you used a credit card to pay for software or tech support services that were illegitimate, contact your credit card company to have the charges reversed.
- If it’s possible that the scammers found out your financial or personal information, take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of identity theft.
- Report all tech support scams to the FTC Complaint Assistant.