For as long as people have had money, there have been other’s trying to take the money away from them. Transfers of money to pay for goods and services is a legitimate way of moving funds but there are those who try to obtain money from others through theft and subterfuge.

At one time, con men would simply try to convince people to give them money for goods or services that didn’t deliver the expected results – or there weren’t any goods or services to begin with. Today much of the cons involve identity theft and misrepresentation. Scammers prey on the public’s dependence on Internet programs and services to get ahold of their money.

Almost every month, another scam appears. In recent weeks the Federal Trade Commission has been warning Internet users of a Tech Support Scam in which an imposter offers “support” to an unsuspecting Internet user.

Tech Support Imposter Scam

In the tech support imposter scam a caller calls the target (you) and impersonates an employee from a legitimate company. He fools the Computer user into sending money and handing over personal information in order to receive the “support.” Once the handover has been effected, the imposter disappears, sometimes only with some cash but other times with the information that will allow him to access the target’s financial records and passwords to confidential information.

For example, the scammer will call the target and claim to be the tech support associated with Apple, Microsoft or another well-known company. If the target is using the company s/he won’t be surprised to get a call from “their” company. The scammer may even send the target a pop-up message that warns the target about a potential problem.

As the relationship continues the scammer will warn the target about a virus or malware that has been detected on the computer. They say that they’re there to fix the problem but will need “remote access” through which they enter your computer and take all the sensitive information they want.

Some scammers call and claim to be computer techs associated with well-known companies like Microsoft or Apple. Other scammers send pop-up messages that warn about computer problems. They say they’ve detected viruses or other malware on your computer. They claim to be “tech support” and will ask you to give them remote access to your computer. Eventually, they’ll diagnose a non-existent problem and ask you to pay for unnecessary – or even harmful – services.

How Does The Scam Work

The scam generally goes like this: you’ll get an email or a pop-up message on your computer that alerts you to a possible “security breach.” The notification asks you to click on a link to a website – that the scammer has set up – which directs you to call the company to fix the problem. Then, you pay a fee to fix the non-existent problem. Some of the characteristics of the communication include::

• The scammer pretends to be from a well-known company – like Apple or Microsoft.
• The scammer uses lots of technical terms to sound impressive while confusing you.
• The scammer will request remote access to your computer. This allows them to change your computer settings.
• The scammer may ask you to open some files on your computer. He’ll then tell you that those files show a problem (when they don’t).

Once you’re convinced that your computer has a problem, the scammers, get busy doing the following:

• Access the computer via the remote access and attack by installing malware.
• Obtain access to your sensitive data, like user names and passwords, via the remote access.
• Try to sell you useless software.
• Try to sign you up for a warranty program or worthless computer maintenance.
• Request your credit card information and then bill you for phony services.
• Direct you to their fake website where you enter your credit card number and other personal information.

How To Protect Yourself

Everyone is susceptible to these scammers from big businesses to Aussie casino online venues. The scammers want to get your money, access to your computer, or both. But there are things you can do to stop them.

• If you get a phone call from someone who claims to be a tech support staffer, don’t engage in conversation and don’t follow any of the caller’s instruction. It doesn’t matter whether the caller ID seems to come from a legitimate company – scammers can create caller IDs that look like they’re legitimate.
• If you get an email or a pop-up message that directs you to call tech support, ignore it. Your security software may send you instructions to update your operating system but don’t call a number that pops up on your screen.
• Call your security software company directly if you’re concerned about your computer. If you don’t have the company’s phone number, look for the company’s contact information online, on a receipt or on your software package. Don’t share it over the phone.
• Never give control of your computer or share passwords with anyone who contacts you.

What To Do If You Suspect A Scam

Even the most careful Internet user can fall for a scam, especially one that evokes the name and image of a trusted company. If you suspect that you were scammed, you should protect yourself from further damage by getting rid of any malware. Download and update legitimate security software. Scan your computer and delete anything that the software identifies as a problem.

Change any passwords that you shared. Change the passwords on every account.

Call your credit card company and reverse charges on any bogus services that you paid for with a credit card. Check and identify any charges that didn’t originate with you. Ask to reverse those charges as well and report them to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

If you receive a call about a refund regarding payments that you made for tech support services, you can assume that the call is a scam as well. Don’t provide any financial or personal information. This follow-up refund scam is simply an attempt by the scammer to get more money out of you. Hang up and report the call.

Avoid Scams

If you get an unexpected call, pop-up, email or other urgent message about problems with your computer, don’t respond. Don’t give control of your computer to anyone and don’t send any money.

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