Fake Tech Support is Becoming More Difficult to Recognize

Tech-support scammers are typically just people who dial random numbers, try to convince the person on the other end that their computer has problems and they can fix them if the user allows them to remote into the device. They utilize tactics that are as generic and vague as possible to avoid having to mention any specifics; because some people find that their system’s performance is sluggish, they will give these people access, which usually ends in disaster.

The bad news is that these scammers have become sneakier, including citing specific information about a user, like their computer’s model and serial numbers. Beyond that, they possess a lot of information about the user, including the device owner’s telephone number, email address, customer number, the device’s model number and their name.

This is just the latest in a disturbingly growing trend of sophisticated social engineering scams that are targeting technology consumers and end-users. One problem is that these scammers are calling people who have purchased products from some of the largest and most well-respected hardware and software distributors in the world. Companies like Lenovo, Microsoft, Apple, Dell, and more have all had support scammers falsely represent their companies, and with these new tactics upgrading their effectiveness, expect these situations to continue growing in frequency.

What You Should Do?
It’s imperative to be cognizant of the fact that no matter how proactive your IT support is, there is very little chance a manufacturer will call you to report issues with your computer, unless you’ve deliberately signed up for a service that does. Even then, there will be a pretty stringent authorization process attached to the support. Major technology vendors understand the types of threats out there, and while they want everyone that purchases their products and services to have a good experience, they are also huge corporations and don’t usually call people up to help them fix their computer issues, unless they are scheduled to do so.

If you get a call like this, it’s best to play it safe. This is doubly true if you share a network with other users. If you give one of these scammers access to your system it could have negative repercussions on the entire network. So while it is true that the IT support scams are an industry-wide problem, ensuring a business’ users aren’t tricked into allowing access to these nefarious parties is critical.

At Macro Systems, we make a point to help our clients promote industry best practices to their company’s users to ensure that they aren’t putting the company in bad positions. For more information about IT support scams, what real IT support looks like, and how to promote solid practices to your staff, call us today at 703-359-9211.