An anti-virus program is no longer enough on its own. Good tools matter, but knowledge matters more. The connected world has produced many scams, and here is one we have seen recently.
What It Looks Like
Customers have called us only after seeing an online warning that they had been hacked or that their computer was compromised. The message is designed to be intimidating. It may come from a real threat or from a script whose only purpose is to make you call a fake “Microsoft support person.”
How the Scam Works
- You call the number on the warning and reach someone who claims to work for Microsoft. They do not.
- They log into your computer to “fix” it.
- They talk in technical terms, sometimes for as long as 90 minutes, to wear you out.
- They ask for a credit card, usually for an exorbitant fee. In the invoice from this case, it was $550.
Why It Is So Dangerous
- Letting a stranger onto your computer is risky. Did they install malware to track you later?
- You don’t know who you really called, or whether anything was actually fixed.
- You gave a scammer your credit card, so you now need to cancel it.
What to Do Instead
The worst thing you can do is let the internet tell you whom to call and give your credit card to. The second worst is to do nothing, because then you won’t know whether you were really attacked. Call a legitimate local tech support business instead. We can check your system, tell you what is really going on, and fix whatever computer or network problems you face.
Think you may have been scammed? Contact us right away.