Saturday, June 13, 2020

Hang up on tech support calls

The "tech support scam" has been around a long time—ever since humans started using Internet-connected computers.

I've posted about this previously but thought this might be a good time for a reminder. With the world news spiraling out of control lately, scammers are keen to take advantage of vulnerability arising from our fear and uncertainty.

If you receive a pop-up on your computer or a telephone call saying there is something wrong with your computer that needs to be urgently fixed, it is a scam perpetrated by imposters who often claim to represent Microsoft.

In April 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) posted a brief but helpful consumer alert entitled Hang up on tech support calls at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/hang-tech-support-calls?utm_source=govdelivery.

Meanwhile, keep these tips in mind:

  • Do not respond to unknown callers. Just hang up.
  • Do not let any stranger or unverified caller take remote control of your computer.
  • Never share your password with any caller, ever.
  • Do not provide sensitive information (SSN, bank account number, date of birth, etc.) to any unknown caller. 
  • If you do get a call, file a complaint with the FTC at ttps://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.
  • Limit the amount of personal information you post on social media.

For additional information, see the Microsoft support page at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4013405/windows-protect-from-tech-support-scams.