How to Leave Fake Tech Support Hanging

Tech support is there to help you, except when it isn’t. Many fraudsters will pose as a support technician to gain a target’s trust, only to cause them serious issues. To keep your organization safe, make sure that you are able to spot the warning signs of tech support fraud.

Incoming Message
You may get a call or email from someone asking about your computer’s status. This someone will likely claim to be from a recognizable technology company, like Microsoft or McAfee. You should not believe them. Companies of Microsoft’s size and success will not be the ones to reach out to check if there is an issue with your computer.

Besides, imagine how many employees Microsoft would need to have to reach out to every Microsoft customer. When there were over 100 million users of Office 365’s commercial edition in 2017, plus 27 million users of Office 365 Home & Personal (as stated in the shareholder letter that was released), there's just no way that Microsoft would devote that kind of manpower to collect that kind of information.

Additionally, it has been agreed between the FTC, National Cyber Security Alliance and yes, Microsoft, that no tech company will call you on the phone unsolicited, or send you an email with the same message.

Stay Up-to-Date
One of the best defenses against almost any threat, including tech support fraud, is to keep everything updated. This includes your operating system and antivirus and antimalware. This will help to minimize the damage of a tech support scam. IT may also consider installing ad blockers to maximize your protection.

Keep Credit Cards Close to the Chest
If a member of “tech support” asks for your credit card number after calling you first, don’t give it to them and hang up (assuming you let them get that far). If you have already given out your card number, call and make sure that any charges you didn’t make are reversed and then report the incident to the FTC Complaint Assistant.

Make Sure Your Employees are In-the-Know
It is important to remember that you aren’t the only person in the company that could fall victim to tech support fraud. Your employees need to be aware of the threat, and should be able to identify the warning signs as well. Your security is only as strong as its weakest link, and more often than not, the weakest link is your end users. Therefore, it is crucial that they are educated and evaluated on their knowledge of best practices.

Tech support is meant to help you out, which is a responsibility that Techworks Consulting, Inc. doesn’t take lightly. To learn more about our support services, give us a call at (631) 285-1527.