Chances are that when you need technical support, you’ll reach out to the company – not the other way around. The latter situation is common with many scams, though. Someone will call or email you and ask you to take a few (likely compromising) steps, such as revealing your Social Security number or account login […]

Some websites features aggressive advertising and tracking mechanisms. It’s common to see ads for free antivirus software and system scans, as well as warnings that your device has been compromised and requires immediate action, like calling a certain number. These schemes are invariably scams and should be ignored.

Individuals receive an on-screen pop-up message claiming a virus has been found on their computer. In order to receive assistance, the message requests the victim call a phone number associated with the fraudulent tech support company. Individuals who receive a pop-up or locked screen, should shut down the device immediately. Ignore any pop-ups instructing to […]

July 31, 2008: Koobface is a network worm that attacks Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms. This worm originally targeted users of networking websites like Facebook, Skype, Yahoo Messenger, and email websites such as GMail, Yahoo Mail, and AOL Mail. Technical support scammers also fraudulently claim to their intended victims that they have […]

In this scheme; the criminal contacts the victim offering a refund for tech support services previously rendered. The criminal requests access to the victim’s device and instructs the victim to login to their online bank account to process a refund. As a result, the criminal gains control of the victim’s device and bank account. Remember […]

An old trick goes as follows: You get a call from someone telling you there’s a virus on your device but that it can be fixed if just grant him/her access to your system and submit payment. It’s all fake. Instead, look for official notifications from your operating system or antivirus software to know whether something […]