The rise of technology has also led to the rise of tech scammers who will use every opportunity they can find to get into your system and steal your private information. They would often ask you to pay for the tech support that you do not really need or asked for. Their method of receiving payment is wiring money, putting money on gift cards, sending through prepaid cards, or using the money transfer app, since these types of payments are hard to reverse.
You may receive a call on your phone where the person on the other line acts as a representative for a tech company, maybe something that you have signed up for. These scammers would spoof caller ID in such a way that it shows a legitimate phone number from a legitimate company. They would then ask you to install applications on your phone that will give them remote access to your device and also give them a chance to hack into your personal information. These fake scam calls are also initiated through email where they provide detail of billing or technical issues linked to your accounts that are associated with large companies such as Apple, Netflix, Amazon, etc.
How to Spot a Tech Support Scam?
The easiest way for you to spot a tech support scam is by looking for behavior that is a giveaway or a sign of not being legitimate. Following are the things you need to keep in mind when you come across any call from a tech support scam;
- The thing about major tech companies, I repeat MAJOR companies, is that communication is always initiated by you, a customer. These companies would never send unsolicited email messages or make phone calls to you, requesting any personal or financial information or technical information to fix your computer. If you need any technical support, all you need to do is to request a support ticket. Take an example from Xfinity customer service, which is a dedicated team catering to the needs of its customers. It is also one of the major tech companies in the US specializing in providing internet and cable TV services. Now Xfinity themselves would never reach out to their subscribers asking for their private information, rather it is the customer that has to call up the customer service for any issues.
- Some companies even send error warnings or caution messages, though when they do, it never includes a phone number. If you receive a fraudulent tech support notification message, there is a possibility that you will also receive a phone number, enticing you to call. Major tech companies that you are associated with would never include phone numbers in such messages.
- If you do fall for their enticement and decide to engage in a phone call with a tech support scammer, they will ask you to download software that will give them remote access to your system. The same software will most likely be corrupted and allow them to hack into your device or system. They will also have access to all your personal data stored on that device.
- If you receive an email from tech support, you will notice that the sender’s email is not legitimate. This is very easy to spot; by checking the “from” email address. A hacker or cybercriminal will use a name in the “from” section that will look legitimate, but a simple click on their address will reveal a fake address. For instance, if you receive an email from Microsoft, the sender’s email should be something like abcd@microsoft. Any other email claiming to be from Microsoft is a scam.
What if I am a victim of tech spam?
The first thing you will need to do is by reporting the entire incident to the police. If your bank information was shared and hacked, you must call your bank immediately. If your device or system has been corrupted, you must reach out to a trusted computer technician, or whatever company provided you with the equipment. Overall, you will need to be aware that all messages you receive are not to be entertained.
How to avoid it?
Some of these practices should be kept in mind as well;
- Keep your devices up to date, by updating browsers or operating systems. If your computer system is a few years older, have it replaced with an updated system.
- You should have an antivirus software program installed into your system to protect your computer from any sort of threats.
- Do not click on any links sent to you through email.
- Configure your mobile phone to block unknown callers.