Updated June 2025:
Scammers are becoming increasingly clever. Every month we hear from clients who have been scammed by letting someone take control of their computer and coerce them into paying for support for non-existent computer or account-related problems. With a little bit of knowledge of how these scams work, you won’t become a victim yourself.
Scams typically start with a website pop-up, email, phone call or text message from a well-known company such as Amazon, Windows/Microsoft, Apple, or Netflix. You are notified about a large purchase that has been or will be charged to your account – or there’s a problem with your account or device/computer. You’re told to call, click a link or talk to a fraud/account representative to confirm the purchase or account information.
In some cases, you may be searching the internet for help from a well-known company, but instead land on a look-alike website. A “support” representative then tells you that they need to see your computer screen – which allows them remote access.
No matter how legitimate it sounds – it’s often a scam! Read on about some of the most common scams we’ve encountered recently:
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