Windows 10: I think I'm a victim of Tech support scam. What should I do?

JASalC · Aug 30, 2020

I think I'm a victim of Tech support scam. What should I do?

:)

Brink · Aug 30, 2020

Teaming up in the war on tech support scams

Social engineering attacks like tech support scams are so common because they’re so effective. Cybercriminals want to bilk users’ money. They can spend a great deal of time and energy attacking the security of a device—brute-force passwords, develop custom and sophisticated malware, and hunt down vulnerabilities to exploit. Or they can save themselves the trouble and convince users to freely give up access to their devices and sensitive information.

Microsoft has built the most secure version of its platform in Windows 10. Core OS technologies like virtualization-based security, kernel-based mitigations, and the Windows Defender ATP stack of security defenses make it much more difficult for exploits, malware, and other threats to infect devices. Every day, machine learning and artificial intelligence in Windows Defender ATP protect millions of devices from malware outbreaks and cyberattacks. In many cases, customers may not even know they were protected. Windows 10 S, a special configuration of Windows 10, takes this even further by only running apps from the Microsoft Store, effectively preventing the vast majority of attacks.

[table][tr][td]Protect yourself from tech support scams

Note that Microsoft does not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to request for personal or financial information, or fix your computer.

Remember, Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. Any communication we have with you must be initiated by you.

Don’t call the number in pop-ups. Microsoft’s error and warning messages never include a phone number.

[/td] [/tr] [/table]
The Windows 10 security stack greatly increases the cost for attackers. Many cybercriminals instead choose to target the humans in front of the PCs. It can sometimes be easier to convince users to willingly share their passwords, account info, or to install hazardous apps onto their device than to develop malware and steal info unnoticed.

Scammers continue to capitalize on the proven effectiveness of social engineering to perpetrate tech support scams. These scams are designed to trick users into believing their devices are compromised or broken. They do this to scare or coerce victims into purchasing unnecessary support services.

To help protect customers from scammers, we continue to enhance antivirus, email, URL blocking, and browser security solutions. However, given the scale and complexity of tech support scams, how can the security industry at large work together to deal a major blow to this enduring threat?

Still a growing global problem

In 2017, Microsoft Customer Support Services received 153,000 reports from customers who encountered or fell victim to tech support scams, a 24% growth from the previous year. These reports came from 183 countries, indicating a global problem.

Approximately 15% of these customers lost money in the scam, costing them on average between $200 and $400. In some cases, victims pay a lot more. In December 2017, Microsoft received a report of a scammer emptying a bank account of 89,000 during a tech support scam in the Netherlands.

In a 2016 survey sponsored by Microsoft, two in three respondents reported experiencing some form of tech support scam in the previous 12 months, with nearly one in ten losing money.

However, as with many social engineering attacks, it’s tricky to put an absolute number to the problem. The figures above represent reports to Microsoft. The problem is so much bigger, given that tech support scams target customers of various other devices, platforms, or software.

An organized cybercriminal enterprise

Tech support scams come in several forms, but they share a common attack plan:

Scammers initiate these social engineering attacks in many ways, including:

Scam websites that use various tactics including browser dialog traps, fake antivirus detecting fake threats, and fake full-screen error messages. Scammers lead potential victims to these websites through ads, search results, typosquatting and other fraudulent mechanisms.

Email campaigns that use phishing-like techniques to trick recipients into clicking URLs or opening malicious attachments

Malware that’s installed on computers to make system changes and display fake error messages

Unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls), which are telemarketing calls from scammers that pretend to be from a vendor’s support team

The complete attack chain shows that these attacks lead to the same goal of getting customers in contact with a call center. Once connected, a fake technician (an experienced scammer) convinces the victim of a problem with their device. They often scare victims with urgent problems requiring immediate action. They instruct victims to install remote administration tools (RATs), which provide the scammers access to and control over the device.

From this point on, scammers can make changes to the device or point out common non-critical errors, and present these as problems. For example, scammers are known to use Event Viewer to show “errors” or netstat to show connections to “foreign IP addresses”. The scammers then attempt to make the sale. With control of the device, scammers can make a compelling case about errors in the device and pressure the victim to pay.

An industry-wide problem requires industry-wide action

The tech support scam problem is far-reaching. Its impact spans various platforms, devices, software, services. Examples include:

Tech support scams targeting specific platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Tech support scam websites that imply a formal relationship or some sort of approval by well-known vendors

Fake malware detection from programs or websites that mimic various antivirus solutions

Customized tech support scams that tailor messages and techniques based on geography, OS, browser, or ISP

As in many forms of social engineering attacks, customer education is key. There are tell-tale signs: normal error and warning messages should not have phone numbers, most vendors don’t make unsolicited phone calls to fix a device, etc. To help protect and educate Microsoft customers, we have published blogs, websites, , and social media campaigns on the latest tech support scam trends and tactics. We have also empowered customers to report tech support scams.

Beyond customer education, the scale and complexity of tech support scams require cooperation and broad partnerships across the industry. The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) works with law enforcement and other agencies to crack down on scammers.

We have further built partnerships across the ecosystem to make a significant dent on this issue:

Web hosting providers, which can take down verified tech support scam websites

Telecom networks, which can block tech support scam phone numbers

Browser developers, who can continuously thwart tech support scam tactics and block tech support scam websites

Antivirus solutions, which can detect tech support scam malware

Financial networks, who can help protects customers from fraudulent transactions

Law enforcement agencies, who can go after the crooks

We seek to continue expanding and enriching these partnerships. While we continue to help protect customers through a hardened platform and increasingly better security solutions, we believe it’s high time for the industry to come together and put an end to the tech support scam problem. Together, we can make our customers’ lives easier and safer.

Erik Wahlstrom
Windows Defender Research Project Manager
Click to expand...

Source: Teaming up in the war on tech support scams Microsoft Secure

Brink · Aug 30, 2020

Teaming up in the war on tech support scams

Social engineering attacks like tech support scams are so common because they’re so effective. Cybercriminals want to bilk users’ money. They can spend a great deal of time and energy attacking the security of a device—brute-force passwords, develop custom and sophisticated malware, and hunt down vulnerabilities to exploit. Or they can save themselves the trouble and convince users to freely give up access to their devices and sensitive information.

Microsoft has built the most secure version of its platform in Windows 10. Core OS technologies like virtualization-based security, kernel-based mitigations, and the Windows Defender ATP stack of security defenses make it much more difficult for exploits, malware, and other threats to infect devices. Every day, machine learning and artificial intelligence in Windows Defender ATP protect millions of devices from malware outbreaks and cyberattacks. In many cases, customers may not even know they were protected. Windows 10 S, a special configuration of Windows 10, takes this even further by only running apps from the Microsoft Store, effectively preventing the vast majority of attacks.

[table][tr][td]Protect yourself from tech support scams

Note that Microsoft does not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to request for personal or financial information, or fix your computer.

Remember, Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. Any communication we have with you must be initiated by you.

Don’t call the number in pop-ups. Microsoft’s error and warning messages never include a phone number.

[/td] [/tr] [/table]
The Windows 10 security stack greatly increases the cost for attackers. Many cybercriminals instead choose to target the humans in front of the PCs. It can sometimes be easier to convince users to willingly share their passwords, account info, or to install hazardous apps onto their device than to develop malware and steal info unnoticed.

Scammers continue to capitalize on the proven effectiveness of social engineering to perpetrate tech support scams. These scams are designed to trick users into believing their devices are compromised or broken. They do this to scare or coerce victims into purchasing unnecessary support services.

To help protect customers from scammers, we continue to enhance antivirus, email, URL blocking, and browser security solutions. However, given the scale and complexity of tech support scams, how can the security industry at large work together to deal a major blow to this enduring threat?

Still a growing global problem

In 2017, Microsoft Customer Support Services received 153,000 reports from customers who encountered or fell victim to tech support scams, a 24% growth from the previous year. These reports came from 183 countries, indicating a global problem.

Approximately 15% of these customers lost money in the scam, costing them on average between $200 and $400. In some cases, victims pay a lot more. In December 2017, Microsoft received a report of a scammer emptying a bank account of 89,000 during a tech support scam in the Netherlands.

In a 2016 survey sponsored by Microsoft, two in three respondents reported experiencing some form of tech support scam in the previous 12 months, with nearly one in ten losing money.

However, as with many social engineering attacks, it’s tricky to put an absolute number to the problem. The figures above represent reports to Microsoft. The problem is so much bigger, given that tech support scams target customers of various other devices, platforms, or software.

An organized cybercriminal enterprise

Tech support scams come in several forms, but they share a common attack plan:

Scammers initiate these social engineering attacks in many ways, including:

Scam websites that use various tactics including browser dialog traps, fake antivirus detecting fake threats, and fake full-screen error messages. Scammers lead potential victims to these websites through ads, search results, typosquatting and other fraudulent mechanisms.

Email campaigns that use phishing-like techniques to trick recipients into clicking URLs or opening malicious attachments

Malware that’s installed on computers to make system changes and display fake error messages

Unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls), which are telemarketing calls from scammers that pretend to be from a vendor’s support team

The complete attack chain shows that these attacks lead to the same goal of getting customers in contact with a call center. Once connected, a fake technician (an experienced scammer) convinces the victim of a problem with their device. They often scare victims with urgent problems requiring immediate action. They instruct victims to install remote administration tools (RATs), which provide the scammers access to and control over the device.

From this point on, scammers can make changes to the device or point out common non-critical errors, and present these as problems. For example, scammers are known to use Event Viewer to show “errors” or netstat to show connections to “foreign IP addresses”. The scammers then attempt to make the sale. With control of the device, scammers can make a compelling case about errors in the device and pressure the victim to pay.

An industry-wide problem requires industry-wide action

The tech support scam problem is far-reaching. Its impact spans various platforms, devices, software, services. Examples include:

Tech support scams targeting specific platforms like Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Tech support scam websites that imply a formal relationship or some sort of approval by well-known vendors

Fake malware detection from programs or websites that mimic various antivirus solutions

Customized tech support scams that tailor messages and techniques based on geography, OS, browser, or ISP

As in many forms of social engineering attacks, customer education is key. There are tell-tale signs: normal error and warning messages should not have phone numbers, most vendors don’t make unsolicited phone calls to fix a device, etc. To help protect and educate Microsoft customers, we have published blogs, websites, , and social media campaigns on the latest tech support scam trends and tactics. We have also empowered customers to report tech support scams.

Beyond customer education, the scale and complexity of tech support scams require cooperation and broad partnerships across the industry. The Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) works with law enforcement and other agencies to crack down on scammers.

We have further built partnerships across the ecosystem to make a significant dent on this issue:

Web hosting providers, which can take down verified tech support scam websites

Telecom networks, which can block tech support scam phone numbers

Browser developers, who can continuously thwart tech support scam tactics and block tech support scam websites

Antivirus solutions, which can detect tech support scam malware

Financial networks, who can help protects customers from fraudulent transactions

Law enforcement agencies, who can go after the crooks

We seek to continue expanding and enriching these partnerships. While we continue to help protect customers through a hardened platform and increasingly better security solutions, we believe it’s high time for the industry to come together and put an end to the tech support scam problem. Together, we can make our customers’ lives easier and safer.

Erik Wahlstrom
Windows Defender Research Project Manager
Click to expand...

Source: Teaming up in the war on tech support scams Microsoft Secure

quietman7 - MVP · Aug 30, 2020

My Father-in-Law fell victim to the phony Microsoft Tech Support Scam. Did you?

Yes it is a common scam.

Unsolicited phone calls, browser pop-ups and
emails (aka
Tech Support Scamming) from "so-called Support Techs" advising
"your computer is infected with malware",
“All Your Files Are Encrypted" and other
fake "alert messages" has become an increasing common scam tactic over the past several years. The scams may involve web pages with screenshots of fake Microsoft (Windows) Support messages, fake reports of suspicious activity, fake warnings of malware
found on your computer,
fake ransomware and fake
BSODs all of which include a tech support phone number to call in order to fix the problem. If you call the phone number (or they called you), more nefarious scammers will talk their victims into allowing them remote control
access of the computer so they can install a
Remote Access Trojan in order to steal passwords and other sensitive personal information which could then be used to access bank accounts or steal a person's identity.

These are a few examples.

Fake Your computer is locked screenlocker...contact a Microsoft technician

Microsoft Help Desk Tech Support Scam

Microsoft Office Activation Wizard Tech Support Scam

Windows has been blocked due to suspicious activity Tech Support Scam

Your Windows has been Banned Scam

1-844-879-7840 Suspicious Activity Tech Support Scam

The scammer may claim to be affiliated with Microsoft or
Windows Support. However, there have been reports of scammers claiming to be affiliated with major computer manufacturers such as
Hewlett Packard, Lenovo and Dell, familiar security vendors like
Symantec, Panda, McAfee, etc. and even popular
ISPs.

Microsoft does not contact users via web page messages, phone or email and instruct them to call tech support to fix your computer.

Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently

Is that call from Microsoft a scam?

Tell Your Relatives: No, Microsoft Won’t Call You About Your Computer

Microsoft calling? Mind the tech support scammer!

Not answering any questions and hanging up the telephone is the best way to deal with phone scammers...then report them to the appropriate authorities.

If you are dealing with browser pop-up scams, closing the web browser and then relaunching it usually eliminates the bogus warning message and is the best way to deal with these scams. If the browser freezes or hangs, you may have to close
it with
Windows Task Manager by selecting End Task.

Scammers and cyber-criminals are very innovated...see
Tech Support Scams use new Tricks to Hold Browsers Hostage. They are always developing creative and more sophisticated techniques to scare their victims into providing personal information or stealing their money for financial
gain. The criminals can target specific browsers like Microsoft Edge,
Google Chrome, specific devices like Apple and even your
iPhone or iPad.

Microsoft Edge...Can Be Abused for Tech Support Scams

Tech support scams and Google Chrome tricks

Scammers target Apple customers

Fake iOS Crash Reports hijack your iPhone or iPad

For more information about how these scams work and resources to protect yourself, please read
Beware of Phony Emails & Tech Support Scams...there
are suggestions near the bottom for dealing with scams and a list of security scanning tools to use in case the usual methods do not resolve the problem or you allowed remote access into your computer.

Reporting Phone Fraud and Tech Support Scams:

Reporting Phone Scams

FTC Complaint Assistant

Report a technical support scam to Microsoft

How to Report the Microsoft phone scam

How to recognize and report scams

WhyCallMe Complaint

How to report fraudulent e-mail messages that use the
Microsoft name and logo

Action Fraud: UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and internet crime

Windows 10: I think I'm a victim of Tech support scam. What should I do?

I think I'm a victim of Tech support scam. What should I do?

I think I'm a victim of Tech support scam. What should I do?

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