A Free Public Service

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.

July 21, 2021

TECH SUPPORT SCAM  

Courtesy AARP

Computer viruses and malware are scary. Tech support scammers exploit that fear. They claim your computer or mobile device is dangerously ill and needs an immediate, costly cure. Don’t fall for it.

 These faux technicians are out to steal your money or your identity, not save your machine. Some scam callers pretend to be associated with Microsoft, Apple or a familiar security software company such as Norton or McAfee. They claim to have detected an imminent threat to your computer. They will ask for remote access to your computer to run phony diagnostic tests, then pretend to have found malware or a virus that is set to freeze your machine or eat your data.

Once they have you running scared, the crooks will pressure you to pay hundreds of dollars for repairs, new software, and other products and services you do not need. They will ask for a credit card number so they can charge the transaction, or request payment by gift card or money transfer (methods favored by many scammers because they are difficult to trace).

Worse yet, the crooks might utilize their access to your computer to transmit actual malware that harvests your personal and financial information from the device, which they can use to steal your identity.

Don’ts

Don’t give remote access to your computer or payment information to someone who calls you out of the blue.

Don’t rely on caller ID to determine if a caller is on the level. Scammers use “spoofing” techniques to make it look like they’re calling from a legitimate number.

Don’t call the number in a pop-up virus alert. Real warnings from your operating system or antivirus program will not ask you to call anyone for support.

Don’t click any links in the pop-up, even to close the window. This could redirect you to a scam site or launch a “dialogue loop,” continually serving pop-up messages.

Don’t buy security software from a company you don’t know. If the name is unfamiliar, do an internet search to see if it has been linked to adware or scams.

Don’t open previously closed sites if prompted to do so when you restart the browser after getting a scam pop-up.

Don’t give financial information to someone who calls a few days, weeks or months after you’ve made a tech support purchase and asks if you were satisfied — it’s probably a “refund scam.” If you say “No,” the caller will ask for bank or credit card information, ostensibly to deposit a refund in your account but actually to steal from you.

Do’s

Do hang up if you get an unsolicited call from someone who claims to be a tech support provider for your computer or software.

Do get rid of a fake virus alert message by shutting down your browser. You can do this on a Windows PC by pressing Control-Alt-Delete and bringing up the Task Manager. On a Mac, press the Option, Command and Esc (Escape) keys, or use the Force Quit command from the Apple menu.

Do use antivirus software to regularly scan your computer for malware and run a scan immediately after getting a scam pop-up.

Do keep your security software, browser and operating system up to date, and consider using your browser’s pop-up blocker.

Do contact a computer technician you trust if you think there might be a genuine problem with your machine.

Do contact your credit card company and request a reversal of the payment if you have been victimized.

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360.

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