

It is also important to keep the following in mind: Share and implement the general tips on how to prevent malware infection.

How to protect against tech support scams When you engage with the scammers, they can offer fake solutions for your "problems" and ask for payment in the form of a one-time fee or subscription to a purported support service.įor more information, view known tech support scam numbers and popular web scams. Note that Microsoft error and warning messages never include phone numbers. These fake error messages aim to trick you into calling an indicated technical support hotline. They can also put your browser on full screen and display pop-up messages that won't go away, essentially locking your browser. Scammers might also initiate contact by displaying fake error messages on websites you visit, displaying support numbers and enticing you to call. Using remote access, these experienced scammers can misrepresent normal system output as signs of problems.

They can then ask you to install applications that give them remote access to your device. They might even spoof the caller ID so that it displays a legitimate support phone number from a trusted company. Scammers may call you directly on your phone and pretend to be representatives of a software company. Tech support scams are an industry-wide issue where scammers use scare tactics to trick users into paying for unnecessary technical support services that supposedly fix contrived device, platform, or software problems.
