It’s one of the biggest cons around, and it still goes on.
But how does the Windows tech support scam work?
The first, just after lunch, caught me by surprise.
The laughing didn’t stop until the caller hung up.
Sadly, they didn’t get the hint.
Six hours later came another call.
Perhaps the same lady, I don’t know as I didn’t take the first caller’s name.
This one, despite her strong Indian accent, was called Rachel.
Because the call itself is incredible.
No, this is all about “infections”, some loose reference to malware.
Which, incidentally, is what they’re peddling.
My usual Surface Pro, a Raspberry Pi, and my Toshiba laptop which I had justinstalled Linux Minton.
Pressing the Windows key and R had no effect.
Opening the Run box is a key strategy of the scam.
As with any scam, there is a believable aspect to this.
Opening Event Viewer > Custom Views > Administrative Events does indeed reveal some serious-looking warnings.
The scammers present these as infections, but of course, theyre simply log entries.
They want to charge you for removing log entries.
Payment for solving these issues is typically through untraceable gift cards.
Refuse to pay, and they lock or otherwise disable your gear.
Presumably, the initial caller’s pleasant voice is intended to “soften up” the victims.
Windows Tech Support Scam Victims
Yes, victims, because that is what we are.
Inspection of the webpage reveals an unsophisticated single HTML file with embedded CSS.
Not exactly a professional outfit; rather the classic signs of a scam.
What Do the Windows Tech Support Scammers Want?
Meanwhile, keyloggers and spyware can be installed by the scammers.
The results of this can be devastating.
Information relating to personal online accounts (banks, shopping, email, etc.)
can be recorded with keyloggers.
Spyware can activate cameras, microphones, and record your desktop.
These scammers are organized and dangerous.
One expert (using the pseudonym Jim Browning) traced scammers back to their base of operations.
Now, I took “Jonathan” as far as I could before ultimately getting bored.
I’d wasted around 25 minutes of their time before making my Linux reveal at the end.
But you shouldnt do that.
The scam is indiscriminate, targeting homes and businesses alike.
Beware Windows Tech Support Scam Calls
This scam has been operating for over a decade.
If you suspect any caller is a scammer, hang up.
In most cases they will move onto the next number on your list.
Dont do what I did and waste their time; these operations are industrial in scope.
While you might save one person from being scammed, thousands of others are potentially being fooled.
Instead, report the call to the FTC.
The bases of these scams are raided from time to time, but the evidence you provide is required.
