Tech support scams aim to convince a victim that their computer or any other gadget or device is having serious technical issues. The scammer will convince the victim to buy software which that supposedly fix all these “issues,” but instead of fixing them, this software will turn out to be malware. As a result, the victim will experience more significant technical issues, which can cause more stress and costs. If you don’t want to experience any of these things, use reputable websites such as websafetyadvice.com as a reference. Keep in mind to watch out for the following signs:
Table of Contents
1. Scammers Will Ask For Remote Access Or Your Password
Using a computer or software that crashes every hour can be stressful. This is especially true if you’re using your computer for your work or livelihood. When you’re caught in this kind of situation, you will immediately call tech support and follow all of their instructions. Of course, you don’t think that tech support would scam you since their primary purpose is to help you.
Obeying the instructions from tech support may help in resolving your computer’s issues, but when you’re not too cautious during the process, you’ll likely end up being a victim of tech support scams. This is one of the reasons why no matter how urgent your technical concern is, you should never grant someone remote access to your gadget or give them your password. Providing this information to tech support scammers will make it easier for them to attack your computer, and you won’t even notice that it’s already happening.
2. Scammers Will Try To Sell A Maintenance Plan To You
Experiencing any kind of problem with your computer or gadget can be stressful, which is why you don’t want any of these to happen in the future. Tech support scammers understand your predicament, that’s why they will offer you a maintenance plan. No matter how tempting it can be to give in to their offer, don’t do it. These maintenance plans are usually very expensive and will not protect your computer and gadgets in the long run. You’ll end up paying for something that won’t do you any good.
3. Scammers Will Ask For Your Credit Info Over The Phone
Gone are the days when you have to personally visit a business establishment in order to pay for a product or service. Through e-commerce, you’ll be able to do all of these things within the comfort of your own home. However, when the tech support you’re talking to is asking for your credit information over the phone, that’s another story. Once you give this information to tech support scammers, it’ll be effortless for them to clean you out and use your name for fraudulent purchases.
4. Scammers Will Use A Lot Of Technical Terms
Tech supports are professionals in the industry, which is why you trust them to solve your technical problems. However, their responsibility doesn’t end there—they should also know how to adjust to the customer’s skills and level of understanding. Tech supports are there to help and teach their customers, not confuse them. If you see yourself talking to tech support who bombards you with out-of-this-world jargon, immediately hang up the phone. Scammers will typically use a lot of technical terms in order to scare, confuse, and disorient their victims.
5. Scammers Will Pressure You To Act Immediately
During a call, legitimate tech support will let you discuss your problem and they will come up with the necessary solutions. But when the person you’re talking to over the line is pressuring you to act immediately, be wary. This is one of the most obvious signs that you’re actually talking to a support tech scammer.
A legitimate and credible support tech will present different solutions to your problems without harassing you to come up with a decision right then and there. They will give you time to think it over and schedule a call back with you.
6. Scammers Will Call You First
Having tech support call you can be a godsend. Talking to a professional without waiting in the queue or listening to recorded voicemails can surely improve your productivity during the day. This feature might be convenient, but you need to watch out because a tech support scammer will usually call their customers first.
Big companies such as Dell and Microsoft will not waste their time calling every customer they have because they know that these customers will be the one to reach out to them. If you have been receiving a lot of calls from tech supports within the day, be very careful.
Do Your Research
No matter how simple or complicated your problem is, there will always be tech support who’s ready to help you out. But to ensure that your problem actually gets solved, don’t blindly follow the first support tech you come across. It’s important that you take note of the signs mentioned above to avoid unscrupulous tech support. After all, being a victim of tech support scammers is the last thing you want to experience.
