How To Protect Yourself from Tech-Support Scams

You can stay protected against tech-support scams by learning to spot them and following tips to avoid them, such as never answering unsolicited calls from unknown numbers, never giving someone remote access to your computer and not clicking on malicious advertisements. 

Continue reading to learn more about how you can protect yourself against tech-support scams and what to do if you’ve fallen for this type of scam.

How to spot a tech-support scam

There are several common signs of tech-support scams. Here are a few. 

Unsolicited phone calls claiming to be tech support

No legitimate company will ever contact you claiming that something is wrong with your computer. If you do receive a call like this, it’s likely a scam. You should hang up the phone immediately and block the number. You can also report the phone call to the company they were impersonating so they’re aware and can notify other customers. 

Requests to share remote access to your computer

When you give someone remote access to your computer, they can do anything on it such as extract data or infect your device with malware. If you did not report that something is wrong with your computer, no one should be asking you to share remote access to it. If they are, they likely have malicious intentions and you should stop all contact with them immediately. 

Random pop-ups appearing on your screen

If you notice a significant increase in pop-up warnings or advertisements claiming that your device is infected, they’re likely tech-support scams. Interacting with these pop-ups can result in you having your information stolen by scammers or your computer becoming infected with malware. 

Tips to avoid falling for tech-support scams

Here are a few tips to avoid falling for tech-support scams. 

1. Check official websites

If you need tech support, check the official website for the product or service first. Official sites provide legitimate contact information and support details. When using search engines, be wary of malicious advertisements and illegitimate websites, and make sure the URL, also called website address, belongs to the official site you intend to visit. If you doubt the legitimacy of a site, use Google Transparency Report to verify its legitimacy. 

2. Never answer unsolicited calls from unknown numbers

One of the best ways you can avoid falling for any type of scam is by never answering unsolicited calls that come from unknown numbers. If it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail and then you can verify the legitimacy of the phone call by contacting a family member or the company the call is claiming to come from. You can also conduct a reverse lookup of the phone number by typing it into a search engine like Google. I’ve done this before when I kept receiving a spam call from a particular number. Upon looking up the number, I found out that many people were also receiving spam calls from the same number which prompted me to block it. 

3. Never give someone remote access to your computer

If someone is urging you to give them remote access to your computer so they can fix it, don’t do it. This can be dangerous and place you at risk of having all of your personal information compromised. This is especially true if you did not initiate the request to have your computer fixed. 

4. Don’t click on malvertisements

Malvertisements are malicious advertisements that are designed to infect people’s devices with malware. What makes malvertisements so dangerous is that they can appear on any website, not just malicious ones. If you notice any suspicious-looking advertisements like ones with too-good-to-be-true deals or ones claiming your device is infected, don’t click on them because they could lead to your device becoming infected. 

5. Install antivirus software on your computer

Antivirus software is a program you install on your computer to help keep it safe from viruses and malware. When you install antivirus it’s important to keep the software up-to-date so it can keep you protected against the latest viruses and malware. The best antivirus software updates itself automatically so you don’t need to worry about keeping it up to date yourself. 

What to do if you’ve fallen for a tech-support scam

If you believe you may have already fallen for a tech-support scam, here are the steps you should take to protect yourself. 

Lock your debit and credit cards

If you give away financial information such as your debit or credit card details, lock your cards immediately. This will prevent the scammer from being able to make purchases using your cards. To lock your cards, contact your card issuer directly or lock it by logging in to your card issuer’s mobile app. You’ll also need to contact your card issuer to let them know you’ll need a new card since yours is now compromised. 

Place a freeze on your credit report

For added security, you can also place a freeze on your credit report. A credit freeze, also called a security freeze, will prevent anyone from accessing your credit report, meaning no one can apply for new loans or credit lines under your name. You can freeze your credit by contacting each of three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Keep in mind that when you place a security freeze it doesn’t expire. However, it can be removed at any time by contacting each of the three credit bureaus. 

Run antivirus software on your computer

It’s common for tech-support scams to lead to your device becoming infected with malware. To ensure no malware is installed or to remove the malware that was installed on your computer, run antivirus software. If the antivirus detects malware, it’ll remove it for you so it doesn’t cause any further damage. 

Immediately update your passwords

If you gave away your login information for any of your accounts, it’s important to update your passwords immediately. A password manager can help you quickly change your passwords and store them for you so you don’t have to worry about remembering them all yourself. Keeper Password Manager offers a free 30-day trial so you can start securing your accounts immediately. 

Stay protected against tech-support scams

Tech-support scams can be easy to spot if you know what to look out for and how to stay safe from them. By following basic cybersecurity precautions, you can ensure that your personal information and identity is protected at all times. Investing in tools such as antivirus software and a password manager can aid in keeping you safe from online threats like tech-support scams.

To see how Keeper Password Manager can help you stay safe online, start a free 30-day trial today.