Have you ever found yourself using your computer when it suddenly froze and a full-screen warning popped up claiming there’s an issue you must resolve? It may have even included a sound alert, making the experience even more daunting as a voice claimed that all of your personal data, including credit card information, email passwords, and social media logins have been compromised. If so, you aren’t alone.
Tech support scammers depend on their ability to convince people that their computers have a virus, malware, or have “crashed” when in fact there is nothing wrong with the devices. They are after your money, but could be after your personal files as well.
Unfortunately, for most of us it isn’t a question of if we will become targets of these thieves, but when. This fraud has become so common that anyone with an internet connected device is at risk of having this experience. In fact, in a global survey that Microsoft conducted approximately 5 years ago, they found that two out of three people had experienced a tech support scam in the previous 12 months, and the issue has continued to grow since that time.
Here’s how the scam works:
You’re working on your computer and a huge message pops up warning you that you have a virus. You look but can’t find a way to close the warning on your computer. A phone number is provided for you to get help – most likely claiming to be for a well-known tech company such as Microsoft, HP, Dell, or Apple.