Scam of the Month

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Tech support scams are prevalent. Here's how to avoid them and what you should do if you are caught by any virus threat.

Tech Support Scams

You may receive an email, phone call or popup at a website that explains how you have viruses and are in deep trouble. It is a scam.

Legitimate companies will not call, email or text that you have problems with your computer.

If you call or email the scammer, they will try and gain access to your computer so they can "help you". Then they will install malware and try and scam you for as much as possible. Just hang up or delete such messages. No need to even read them.

If you're at a site and a scam warning pops up telling you to call a number or click a link, DON'T!

First try and close the problematic tab.
If you can't close a tab, close your browser.
If you can't close your browser, then press CTRL-SHIFT-ESC, find your browser, right click and choose END TASK. Then close your programs and restart your computer.
If you can't end the task, then shut down your computer.

Then what? If you are confident that nothing happened and nothing got into your computer, I'd clear my browser cache and continue with my day. If you are worried, call your computer consultant and slowly and carefully explain what happened.

Three simple things you can do to check your system

1. Run a deep scan with your antivirus
2. Clear your browser cache. You choose the time length. If you just had the problem, you might choose only 1 hour. If you are paranoid, choose all time, but if you lose cookies at sites you normally visit, you may need to log in again. They might no longer know who you are.

With Firefox: choose the 3 lines at the upper right for settings. Then select History then Clear recent history. Set the time. Check Cookies and Cache. Select OK.
For Chrome and most Chromium-based browsers. Select the three dots then Settings>Privacy and security > Clear Browsing data. Change the time to All Time. Be sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are selected. Select Clear data.
For Vivaldi, choose Tools then Delete Browsing Data. Select the Cache, Cookies, Downloads, Browsing history and Applications Cache. Then click Delete.

3. Run Windows Defender's Offline Scan

Open Windows Defender from the system tray
Choose Virus and threat protection
Choose Scan options
Choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan). This will restart your computer and open in a new limited version of Windows and do a scan for deep threats.

Keeping clients' computers safe and profitable for over 30 years

Home Forms About Current Newsletter subscribe Search All Articles Browse by Category Security Internet Mobile Business Hardware Fun		Scam of the Month Preview: Tech support scams are prevalent. Here's how to avoid them and what you should do if you are caught by any virus threat. Tech Support Scams You may receive an email, phone call or popup at a website that explains how you have viruses and are in deep trouble. It is a scam. Legitimate companies will not call, email or text that you have problems with your computer. If you call or email the scammer, they will try and gain access to your computer so they can "help you". Then they will install malware and try and scam you for as much as possible. Just hang up or delete such messages. No need to even read them. If you're at a site and a scam warning pops up telling you to call a number or click a link, DON'T! First try and close the problematic tab. If you can't close a tab, close your browser. If you can't close your browser, then press CTRL-SHIFT-ESC, find your browser, right click and choose END TASK. Then close your programs and restart your computer. If you can't end the task, then shut down your computer. Then what? If you are confident that nothing happened and nothing got into your computer, I'd clear my browser cache and continue with my day. If you are worried, call your computer consultant and slowly and carefully explain what happened. Three simple things you can do to check your system 1. Run a deep scan with your antivirus 2. Clear your browser cache. You choose the time length. If you just had the problem, you might choose only 1 hour. If you are paranoid, choose all time, but if you lose cookies at sites you normally visit, you may need to log in again. They might no longer know who you are. With Firefox: choose the 3 lines at the upper right for settings. Then select History then Clear recent history. Set the time. Check Cookies and Cache. Select OK. For Chrome and most Chromium-based browsers. Select the three dots then Settings>Privacy and security > Clear Browsing data. Change the time to All Time. Be sure Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files are selected. Select Clear data. For Vivaldi, choose Tools then Delete Browsing Data. Select the Cache, Cookies, Downloads, Browsing history and Applications Cache. Then click Delete. 3. Run Windows Defender's Offline Scan Open Windows Defender from the system tray Choose Virus and threat protection Choose Scan options Choose Microsoft Defender Antivirus (offline scan). This will restart your computer and open in a new limited version of Windows and do a scan for deep threats. Further Reading Microsoft article on protecting yourself from tech support scams: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/protect-yourself-from-tech-support-scams-2ebf91bd-f94c-2a8a-e541-f5c800d18435#ID0EDR Date: December 2023 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
		I attempt to provide reliable information, but make no warranty as to the accuracy or safety of these articles. I disclaim all legal responsibility for what following these instructions may do. Follow my advice at your own risk

Keeping clients' computers safe and profitable for over 30 years

Scam of the Month

Preview:

Tech Support Scams

Three simple things you can do to check your system

Further Reading