The age of technology that we presently live in carries a lot of good and bad with it, don’t you think? While knowing the good is great, knowing about the bad is even better. In the world where technology is often used, the support industry for it also exists. There are a lot of people that have trouble with their systems or their unfamiliarity with it ends up with problems so calling in for some tech support is normal.
Once the call is made and the issue is fixed, tech support usually has follow-up calls to make sure that there are no more problems. This is the “in” that unscrupulous people use to pull off their tech support scams. To help you guys combat that, here are a few common tech support scams that you should know of:
Phone Based Scam
These primarily use the landline in order to perpetuate their scam. They find numbers that are usually listed in the phonebook or numbers which are shared on flyers (for business). They normally make an inquiry regarding any computers and “follow up” the error that may or may not have been fixed yet.
They will try to obtain your username and password for your email or your computer. Usually, they try to get you to download software which will allow them to remotely access your computer. Do not give your information to anyone you do not know even if they say they’re from Microsoft or Mac.
Web Based Scam
These are normally mimic sites which try to look like the official website of your computer or internet provider. In other cases, they hijack websites with a lot of traffic and use a pop-up window to tell users that their computer has been compromised.
In other cases they’ll even try to recreate what seems to be the blue screen of death. Don’t panic when you see such things. Try to look for the icon at the upper right corner. There will usually be an X there so you can remove the offending window.
Always remember that there is no website which has any sort of program that checks the PC or gadget used for any viruses. All of these are lies which will try to get you to click a link or download a program.
Going Forward
Knowing about the tech scams that are usually pulled off is a great way to stay safe. After all, the best way to avoid a pitfall is to know that it exists. When it comes to scams, it is important that you share the information with your network so that they too can stay safe while enjoying technology.
What particular tech support scam have you come across before?
