Despite the wonders of the internet, there is a dark side to the World Wide Web. It seems as if there’s a virtual army of online charlatans who spend their days trying to defraud unsuspecting computer users, and the most prevalent exploit I am contacted about is the tech support scam. The depressing aspect of this fraud is that it’s fairly easy to avoid if you don’t panic, remember some basic facts, and know some handy keyboard shortcuts.
The tech support scam is initiated in one of several ways. You may receive an email or text message claiming to be from Microsoft or a security company that informs you your computer is infected with malware or has been hacked. A phone number or internet link to call or click immediately is included in the message.
You may get a phone call from someone purporting to represent Microsoft who informs you that a remote scan reveals that your computer or online banking has been compromised. You must act immediately to thwart the “hackers.”
Another method is much more serious. You may visit a website and be confronted with one or more pop-up messages alerting you to a serious threat to your computer. The small windows often appear to be initiated by Windows Defender, the anti-virus system built-in to Windows 10, or Microsoft itself. The pop-ups are usually bright red and may include an audio alarm and a timer indicating the time you have left to phone for tech assistance before your files are destroyed or the computer is damaged. The…
