Call Center Management Featured Article
Tech Support Fraud is a Growing Problem
Most people know they should avoid opening questionable attachments and clicking on strange hyperlinks. News reports remind viewers not provide unknown callers with personal information. And, as most of us are aware, keeping our software up to date can help us avoid viruses.
However, there’s another threat out there of which people may be less aware. It’s called tech support fraud.
This happens when criminals pose as customer, security, or technical support representatives. Fake call centers send alerts to customers saying their PCs have problems and need immediate technical support. They may also offer help with an email or bank account, or software license renewal.
But what tech support fraudsters are really doing is selling people expensive tech services they don’t need. And they’re trying to convince people to grant them remote access to their devices so they can get unauthorized access to their data.
Tech support fraud is on the rise, and it’s getting more sophisticated. Last year it rang up nearly $15 million in losses and 11,000 complaints in the U.S. alone. That’s a 86 percent increase in losses compared to 2016.
“Some recent complaints involve criminals posing as technical support representatives for GPS, printer, or cable companies, or support for virtual currency exchangers,” the Federal Bureau of Investigation noted in a March 28 public service announcement. “As this type of fraud has become more commonplace, criminals have started to pose as government agents, even offering to recover supposed losses related to tech support fraud schemes or to request financial assistance with ‘apprehending’ criminals.”
In July ars technica reported about a tech support scam targeting Dell computer users. This case is especially troubling because callers knew specific information about users and their PCs. And they used that knowledge to convince victims they worked for Dell (News - Alert) and had their best interests at heart.
“Armed with those details, the caller has a much better chance of tricking the person into thinking the call is legitimate and, from there, ceding control of the computer or coughing up hundreds of dollars in fraudulent support costs,” ars technica noted. “According to an interview and posts made to Dell customer-support forums, the unusual scam continues now….”
The good news is government agencies and tech companies are working to educate the public on the tech support scam problem and how to avoid becoming victims. Microsoft (News - Alert) is among the companies pushing this message. And the Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer education alert this summer.
“Companies like Microsoft don’t call and ask for access to your computer. If you get a call like that, it’s a scam,” the FTC alert advised. “Real companies also won’t ask for your account passwords. Only scammers do. Tech support scammers try to convince you they’re legitimate. They’ll pretend to know about a problem on your computer. They’ll ask you to open normal files that look alarming to make you think you need help.
“If you do need computer help, go directly to a person, business, or website you know you can trust,” the FTC (News - Alert) continued. “General online searches are risky because they might pull up another scam.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement officials are working to limit losses from tech support fraud. For example, local law enforcement officials in India, recently identified and raided 16 fake call centers.
These call centers misrepresented themselves as tech support operations for Apple (News - Alert), Dell, Google, HP, and Microsoft. Law enforcement officials in Gurgaon and Noida arrested at least 39 individuals who allegedly scammed money from thousands of people. Most of the victims live in America and Canada.
Such efforts discourage tech support scams and work to protect consumers and ensure the success of legitimate call centers.
Edited by Maurice Nagle