"Hi, Your Computer Has a Virus..."

Tactics for scams can come and go in waves. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) predict a wave of tech impersonator scams is coming to the United States. This scam starts with the victim receiving a message stating something is wrong with your electronic devices. These can come through a pop-up on your computer screen, emails, text messages, and even physical mail. The victim calls the number shown in the warning and is asked to provide card details or gift cards for payment. The scammers could also trick the victims into giving control of their computers. Now they have access to the victim’s personal information, monetary funds, and control of their computers. 

To avoid these scams, you should never trust links or phone numbers in pop-ups or warning messages in emails or texts. You can always contact the company directly to verify the phone number and message. “Red flags are when the company wants to access your computer remotely, immediately, to fix it, and wants payment in the form of gift cards, or wants you to share your bank account and routing information for payment,” says Chief ITRC Victims Officer Mona Terry. Attackers will also be pushy and aggressive, creating a high-tension situation where you have little time to think. If you ever feel pressured to click on a link or download an app, you most likely shouldn’t. 

Another red flag to look out for pertains specifically to social media accounts. If the account has much fewer followers than you expect, it’s probably a fake account. For example, the official Macy’s Facebook page has 14 million followers. If you get a message from the Facebook account “Macy’s Black Friday Specials” and it only has 134 followers, it’s like a scam. 

After taking a survey of large tech companies, none reported that they would request personal or financial information through unsolicited calls or messages. They would also never use these forms of communication for technical support. Amazon confirmed some departments make outbound calls to consumers but would not have you verify personal information, charge for tech support, or offer an unexpected refund.