Tech Support Scam

Your computer may be infected, and the scammers are happy to help.

Who Is It Targeting: PC owners

What Is It: Phishing scam

What Are They After: This scam makes the rounds every so often, and it’s back on the rise according to reports from one Huntsville, AL, news station. A tech support scam can crop up a few different ways, but the most common are right on your screen or via a phishing phone call. On your screen, a flashing Warning box pops up, telling you that your computer is infected. It looks like something straight out of Hollywood, and it’s pretty scary. In the phone version, a caller pretending to work for Dell, Apple, Microsoft, or any other recognizable name informs you that he’s monitoring your computer on his end and can see that you’ve been infected.

In all of these scams, the perpetrator can help clean it out for you if you just pay the fee and provide all of your personal information.

How Can You Avoid It:

• No one is “watching” your computer for signs of a virus.
• In many cases, clicking on the warning box actually installs the virus.
• If you are infected, go to the company’s website directly to obtain the correct number and contact them immediately.

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530. Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from WHNTNews19.