There are only few scam tactics that works almost anytime. And this is one of them.
Your phone rings, you answer it and then you hear this: a foreign accent, the most probable english name („yes, we’re looking at you, John Smith“) and a warning. Your computer has been compromised and it needs to be fixed immediately. Luckily, the kind guy on the other end of a phone line can help you right away. They just need two things – a remote access to your computer and a payment.
Yes, you get it right. In fact, your computer is perfectly fine. And you’ve been just talking to a scammer.
In this post we cover:
- What is fake tech support scam
- What to do if you’ve already been scammed
- How to protect yourself against fake tech support scam
What is fake tech support scam
This so called „fake tech support scam“ is one of the most effective scam strategies. For three main reasons: it trades on good names of Microsoft or Apple (since scammers usually claim to speak in these companies’ names), it uses scare tactics and it counts on our lack of technical knowledge.
–> Read also: The ultimate guide to scam calls in USA. Who tries to steal from you?
And what’s in it for scammers? Usually, they want your money, access to your computer, or both.
Unless you want to fall for their scam, never trust anyone when answering the phone (but your own provider or tech support guy, who you’ve already known). Never share passwords or give control of your computer to anyone who contacts you!
If you get an unexpected pop-up, call, spam email or other urgent message about problems with your computer, stop. Don’t click on any links, don’t give control of your computer and don’t send any money. (Federal Trade Commission)
What to do if you’ve already been scammed
Have you already fallen for this fake tech support scam? Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be necessarily too late for you. Try to save your computer and your money with these three steps:
- If you find out that you’ve shared your password with a scammer, change it immediately. Also, change a password on every account that uses the same password.
- Get rid of possible malware. Download (or upgrade) a security software or call your legitimate tech support company.
- If you’ve shared your credit card details with a scammer, call your credit card company as soon as possible. Ask to reverse the charges and, just to be sure, check your statements for any charges you didn’t make.
By the way, if you’ve been already talking to a fake tech support guy, you can await another phone call several months later. Someone usually calls to ask if you were happy with the service. If you say you weren’t, the scammer offers a refund. Then they ask you for your bank or credit card account number. However, instead of giving you a refund, they steal more money from your account.
How to protect yourself against fake tech support scam
Fake tech support scam is one of today’s most popular scam tactics and it costs Americans millions of dollars every year.
The protection against it, on the other hand, won’t cost you a penny. Get the free Should I Answer app for your Android and block all scam calls from your life for good. Or try the new Should I Answer app for your iOS. It’ll save not only your money, but also your time. Which is the most valuable commodity nowadays 🙂
-> DOWNLOAD THE APP FOR YOUR ANDROID
(Not an Android user? Check the new app for your iPhone)