Fake Tech Support calls
As part of creating Awareness we advise users to keep your software updated to avoid virus attacks. Fraudsters come out with clever schemes to trick users into calling for fake tech support. If you are looking to download one of the popular antivirus or anti-malware products in the market, be careful before you click. There is a new type of fraud which most of the internet users may be less aware. It is called tech support fraud. Tech support fraud is on the rise, and it is getting more sophisticated. This happens when criminals pose as customer, security, or technical support representatives. Fake call centers send alerts to customers saying their PCs have problems and need immediate technical support. They may also offer help with an email or bank account, or software license renewal. But in reality tech support fraudsters are selling expensive tech services under guise of helping them. And they are trying to convince people to grant them remote access to their devices so they can get unauthorized access to their data. Some recent complaints involve criminals posing as technical support representatives for GPS, printer, or cable companies etc.
A tech support scam targeted a reputed computer manufacturing company and its users. In this case callers knew specific information about users and their PCs. And they used that knowledge to convince victims that the call is legitimate. Reputed Companies don't call and ask for access to your computer or your passwords. Only scammers do. Tech support scammers try to convince you they're legitimate. They will pretend to know about a problem on your computer. They will ask you to open normal files that look alarming to make you think you need help.
If you do need help related to an issue with your computer or any other device, it is always better to directly visit the website or retailer from whom you purchased the product. Also general online searches for toll free number s are also now risky because they lead you to another fraudster.
Fake Virus Alerts:
Scam pop-ups can attack your computer if you happen to visit a fake website by following a link from a spam email. You might have received the spam mail through an adware or scareware, where malicious codes you can accidentally acquire if you download free software. Fraudsters even trick people using Apple and Android devices with phony alerts.
Fake tech support calls with fake warning may also represent a rogue cybersecurity company with an unfamiliar name like Spy Wiper or System Defender or scam pop-ups often mimic well-known tech brands. To increase the fear of the user, the alert might also accompany a blaring audio, or a long list of supposedly threatening files on your computer, and it won't go away when you try to close your web browser. You will be urged to call a toll-free phone number to speak to a technician or click a link to buy or download (bogus) antivirus software.
Once they convinced that the target victim is scared, the fraudsters will pressurize the victim to pay lum sum cash for repairs, new software, and other products and services. They may ask for a credit card number so they can charge the transaction, or request payment by gift card or online money transfer. They might even try to utilize the access to your computer to transmit actual malware that returns personal and financial information from the device, which they can use for identity theft.
Fraudsters create Lookalike pages: Fraudsters have set up fake download pages that look unbelievably like the authentic ones.You need to watchful and Judge for yourself:
When you click on download the page links to a download, which of course is not the actual software but certainly looks like it as shown in the screen shot:
The fraudsters take extra care that they actually hijacked on the real programs and inserted their own piece of code half way through the installation procedure where the user will start receiving warning message and indicating a toll free number for tech support as shown in screen shot. When you call on this toll free number the fraudster will answer the call pretending as official tech support from the original product organization. He will get hold of sensitive information or ask for transferring money to an account to complete the installation process.
Warning Signs
- You get an unsolicited phone call or email from someone claiming to work for a brand-name tech company such as Microsoft or Apple. Those companies say they do not contact customers unless the customer initiates communication.
- A pop-up or blue screen appears on your computer, phone or tablet with a warning that a virus or other malicious program has infected your device.
- The message urges you to immediately call a toll-free number or click a link to get technical help or security software.
- The message contains bad grammar or misspelled words
- You are asked to pay for tech support or other services with a gift card, cash-reload card or wire transfer.
To avoid becoming one of them, follow some basic safety measures.
- Don't give remote access to your computer or payment information to unknown persons
- Don't rely on caller ID as fraudsters use "spoofing" techniques to make it look like they are calling from a legitimate number.
- Don't call the number in 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 share personal information and 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.
- Reach out to the tech company yourself.
If you believe that you are the victim of a tech support scam, please take the following actions:
- Report immediately to the service provider.
- Approach your nearest cyber-cell and file a police complaint
- Call your credit card company and ask to have the charges reversed;
- Check your bank and credit card statements for inaccuracies. If you find any, ask that those charges be reversed, too;
- Uninstall the applications that fraudsters have asked you to install.
- Consider resetting your device.
- Run a full scan for your device with antivirus and anti-malware software’s.
- Consider changing your passwords
References
https://www.fraud.org/tech_support_scams
https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/tech-support.html
