Tech support scams are on the rise, and with the help of AI, they’re becoming more convincing than ever. All you need to do is search Google News, and you’ll read stories like those below of real people who have been swindled out of their money:
- Colorado couple was scammed out of $30,000.
- Brooklyn woman lost $100,000 to a fake tech support scam.
Businesses can work with cybersecurity companies to reduce the risk of tech support scams impacting their organizations. Understanding the most common scams and training employees on how to spot them is your first line of defense.
How to Spot the Most Common Tech Support Scams
Bad actors use multiple tactics to scam businesses and people out of money, and most of the time, fear and urgency are used to make victims take the wrong action. The FTC reports that the following are the most common types of tech support-related scams:
Phone Scams
Scammers will call and act like tech support agents from companies, such as Microsoft, telling you that there’s a problem with your computer. The support agent will ask to remotely access the system and run a diagnostic test, but this is a scam that often ends with you paying money.
AI voice scams are making phone call scams even worse because they can mimic someone’s voice, such as the business’s:
- CEO
- Tech support lead
- Security team
If someone calls and states that there’s something wrong with your network, hang up. You can call tech support or the company handling your security directly to verify whether the call is legitimate.
Pop-up Scams
Pop-ups may show up on your browser or operating system with error messages, mimicking real companies, such as Microsoft or Google. Messages will often:
- Lock the computer or make it difficult to close the error message
- Warn you of a major security flaw or problem with the system
- Ask you to call a number or click a link to fix the problem
Restart the system and see if the error still exists. You can also run an antivirus or malware scanner to remove any malicious files on your system or network that are causing the pop-up in the first place.
Email Scams
Scammers may also send emails to employees stating that they’re part of IT, the security team or a major company and that there’s an issue with your network or computer. Scammers may also spoof email addresses to make it look like the email is internal.
Steps to Take If You Think You Were Scammed
If you believe that you’re a victim of a scam, be sure to:
- Contact your manager or supervisor if it’s a work-related incident
- Immediately contact the bank or credit issuer to stop any payments you sent
- Reach out to tech support or a computer specialist to scan your computer if you allowed the scammer remote access
Cybersecurity firms can help your business put measures in place to avoid scams and keep your business safe. Support scams are on the rise, but if you take a proactive approach, you can avoid you or your employees falling victim to them.