{"id":296934,"date":"2025-03-04T08:55:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T16:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=296934"},"modified":"2025-07-25T03:56:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T10:56:42","slug":"how-do-tech-support-scams-work-we-explain-it-to-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/how-do-tech-support-scams-work-we-explain-it-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do Tech Support Scams Work? We Explain It to You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To begin tackling this threat, the first step is to understand what a <strong>tech support scam<\/strong> is. Despite being one of the less-known scams, it is among the oldest, as it has a sociological component that makes victims more vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-icon-s\/p\/afedbb98-96d0-11e6-a476-00163ed833e7\/2476911703\/avg-antivirus-free-AVG-Antivirus-logo-256x256.png\" alt=\"AVG AntiVirus Free\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Download<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--0\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\"><\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Humans are naturally trusting, which is why when we are warned about a problem with our computer or one of our accounts, we tend to trust those who claim they can help us. This is the key factor in the <strong>tech support scam<\/strong>\u2014scammers take advantage of our good faith and lack of technical knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Protect Your Devices with AVG | Fast, Reliable Antivirus for Everyone\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BAI__xJN46s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Scammers Target Users<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tech support scammers want you to believe that you have a serious problem with your computer, such as a virus. This is when they approach you, claiming they can fix it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cybercriminals often target users who do not have antivirus software installed on their computers, as they are more vulnerable and exposed to these attacks. A user with a reliable program, such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/a><\/strong>, would not face this issue, as the software would alert them if a website or link they visited was unsafe. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">AVG Antivirus Free<\/a><\/strong> even has a dedicated webpage to report dangerous links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Is the Goal of a Tech Support Scammer?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal of tech support scammers is to make you pay for support services you don\u2019t need to fix a problem that doesn\u2019t exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically, the required payment method for these fraudulent services involves bank transfers, gift cards, prepaid or cash reload cards, cryptocurrencies, or money transfer apps, as scammers know these transactions are difficult to reverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Types of Tech Support Scams<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers use a variety of tactics to deceive people. Recognizing these tactics can help you avoid falling victim to the scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Phone Calls<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tech support scammers often call victims, posing as IT technicians from a well-known company, claiming they have found a problem with their computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They usually ask for remote access to the computer and then pretend to run a diagnostic test. Afterward, they attempt to make the victim pay to fix a nonexistent problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you receive an unexpected phone call from someone claiming there\u2019s an issue with your computer, hang up immediately\u201499% of the time, it is a scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2025\/03\/avg-ui-04032025.jpg?GoogleAccessId=wp-stateless%40kubertonic.iam.gserviceaccount.com&#038;Expires=1779950627&#038;Signature=QrFY2u6GSnPaBfWeqOc4P75GbOzGE4crvzrW8p1Pn9jue1VAwbTT9P%2FpeY%2FrvwBGWzP6K7q7uBV916nUPzAwX9%2BRfyPN3kqBoSGK8s7CcYf9fL4a1V6r7YL2T8l2%2FhxYzBh49kXKkXAVe5kbzORaes41qIHi%2B4CfoHwp1YqaxLb0pXPQ9MRH8zFg2i2jvOFyvo3BNDEj%2F%2Bxcso1OfpCdFGGYjW1Xcf7%2FHdm8xoiishLO4ag2FvbY%2F7zLG4vpbcDiCHvScBw5E8TZuhjePHULSSc6OQS65fY23u6CCg9cKKZsrnrFHSTJshosELujqYtxSQc8aTOUIulIm8cGu5F6Bg%3D%3D\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-296937\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pop-up Warnings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tech support scammers may try to trick you with a pop-up window that appears on your computer screen. It might look like an error message from your operating system or antivirus and could even display legitimate company logos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Having a reliable antivirus, such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/a><\/strong>, is crucial, as it can block these fraudulent pop-ups or warn you that they are fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These pop-ups typically warn you of a security issue on your computer and urge you to call a phone number for assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you see this type of pop-up warning, do not call the number. Legitimate security messages never ask you to call a phone number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Online Ads and Search Engine Listings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scammers also try to place fake tech support websites in search engine results on Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means that someone looking for legitimate tech support could unknowingly land on a fraudulent website. Always double-check URLs and verify the authenticity of a company before calling their support number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you need tech support, only contact a company you know and trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Avoid Tech Support Scams and What to Do If You\u2019re a Victim<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preventing Tech Support Scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To protect yourself from <strong>tech support scams<\/strong>, follow these key steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Install a good antivirus<\/strong>, such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/a><\/strong>, on your devices to protect against hackers and run regular malware scans.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never share personal information or passwords<\/strong> with someone claiming to be from a tech company if you didn\u2019t request help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do not click links or call phone numbers<\/strong> in pop-up warnings. If unsure, go to the official website of a company to find their contact details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Do not grant remote access<\/strong> to anyone unless you are sure they are a legitimate tech support representative you contacted for an actual issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never send upfront payments<\/strong> for tech support services, especially using <strong>gift cards or cryptocurrency<\/strong>\u2014legitimate support teams will never request such payments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-icon-s\/p\/afedbb98-96d0-11e6-a476-00163ed833e7\/2476911703\/avg-antivirus-free-AVG-Antivirus-logo-256x256.png\" alt=\"AVG AntiVirus Free\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Download<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--0\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\"><\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reporting Suspicious Links<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you suspect a link or URL is fraudulent, consider reporting it to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.avg.com\/free-antivirus-download?full_trSrc=mmm_sft_dlp_008_358_m&amp;utm_source=softonic&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=sft_dlp_008_358_m:march\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" title=\"\">AVG AntiVirus Free<\/a><\/strong> through their dedicated scam reporting page. By taking small actions like this, we can all help create a safer internet for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To begin tackling this threat, the first step is to understand what a tech support scam is. Despite being one of the less-known scams, it is among the oldest, as it has a sociological component that makes victims more vulnerable. Humans are naturally trusting, which is why when we are warned about a problem with &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/how-do-tech-support-scams-work-we-explain-it-to-you\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How Do Tech Support Scams Work? We Explain It to You&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9265,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":241},"categories":[1015],"tags":[],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[6463],"class_list":["post-296934","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","content-category-antivirus"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296934"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":343297,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296934\/revisions\/343297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296934"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=296934"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=296934"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=296934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}