We’ve written a lot about remote tech support scams in the past few years. As a leading remote desktop software vendor, we believe that it’s our duty to inform you about new cases and to ban those who misuse our application for fraudulent purposes.
We always try to go the extra mile in making sure that scammers using FixMe.IT for the purpose of misleading users will get the punishment they deserve. A few months ago we were contacted by Jim Browning, a youtuber who regularly exposes fraudsters and provides useful tips on how to avoid being scammed. Thanks to Jim and the extensive information he provided, we identified the scammers who’d used a 5-seat FixMe.IT account in order to put their fraudulent schemes to work and immediately suspended all their licenses.
Watch Jim’s recent video on how to hit back at scammers and be sure to subscribe to his channel for more tips.
As part of our continuing effort to educate users about remote tech support scams, today we’d like to share our roundup of the most common types of scams along with the tips on how to recognize and avoid them.
Cold calls
Cold calling is one of the most popular methods of targeting PC users with the purpose of extorting money. Generally, it happens like this. You receive a call from someone claiming to represent Microsoft or another well-known company. Scammers may tell you that your computer is infected with malware and then offer cleanup services in exchange for a fee. If you accept, they will install a remote desktop application on your PC in order to gain remote access to your system.
How to avoid: The real Microsoft support will never call you out of the blue. If you receive a cold call from someone claiming to represent Microsoft or another tech business, don’t buy it. Ask for the representative’s name and credentials, and verify the number they’re calling you from by doing a quick Google search. If it’s a scam, chances are that this number has already been reported. Read our guide on how to protect yourself against remote tech support scams for more tips.
Browser pop-ups
Browser pop-ups appear out of nowhere when you’re browsing a website, and usually display warnings about a breach in your system or malware infection along with a phone number for immediate assistance.
How to avoid: If you happen to receive a pop-up message when browsing a website, never use the displayed phone number or click on any links. Copy the number to clipboard and do a quick search instead. There are many websites on the Internet where other people report scammers, so chances are that this number has already been listed somewhere. Close the pop-up window even if the services you’re being offered seem to be perfectly legit.
Misleading adverts/websites
This is a tricky one. Many fraudulent companies advertise their business like any other company does, and in most cases you won’t be able to tell whether it’s a legitimate tech support business or not. Others mask their websites in order to look as if they actually represent a well-known business, when, in fact, they don’t.
How to avoid: Don’t search for third-party tech support services online, because who knows what you can find by googling “tech support”? Most software and hardware providers have a dedicated support team that can be reached via email or phone that can be easily found on their official website. Also, if your PC really is broken, it’s often better to bring it to a local repair shop rather than searching for random tech support services online.
Phishing emails
Phishing emails are similar to any other of the methods described above. By clicking a link in a spammy email, you risk to get your PC infected with malware or a remote access trojan. This may lead to someone calling you to offer tech support services or simply gaining remote access to your machine without any calls.
How to avoid: Simple. Never click on any links in a spammy email.
Once again, we’d like to remind you not to confuse scammers with real tech support services or software vendors, such as Techinline FixMe.IT. If you think you’re being scammed using the FixMe.IT application, try to obtain as much information as possible and reach out to our team directly at [email protected] or leave us a message on Twitter. We will immediately take actions against scammers, as our Terms of Service prohibit the use of FixMe.IT for the purpose of misleading or misinforming end users for financial gain.