“Hello, this is Microsoft Technical Support.” Or is it?
There is a new twist on an old scam that impersonates trusted companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Merrill Lynch, attempting to gain remote access to your computer or online account. Google Chrome appears to be the susceptible browser, and fictitious phone numbers can be found in the ads at the top of search results. These ads are platform-aware, such that scammers answer “This is Apple…” when you’ve used Chrome running on an Apple device to search for a number, and “This is Microsoft…” when Chrome was used on a Windows device.
The scammer will ask the victim to go to Microsoft’s Remote Assistance Support website. As stated at the bottom of the picture, Microsoft uses the 3rd support tool LogMeIn to provide tech support to clients. The unaware victim will think that they are working with Microsoft directly.
The scammer then provides the victim the 6-digit code to THEIR LogMeIn Account to gain remote access to the victim’s computer. See the picture below:
This is all a part of the scammer’s ongoing unethical pursuit to steal your money and/or identity. Once they have access to your PC, all of your data can potentially be compromised.
If you receive a call or email and are not sure if it is genuine, do not share any information or allow remote connections. Contact LeeShanok for any questions and we can make a determination of legitimacy.
LeeShanok takes IT security seriously and it is our duty to inform our clients about potential threats and vulnerabilities that can affect your business. LeeShanok is monitoring the current status of security threats and will continue to inform its clients of any new information.
If you have any questions or need assistance with anything IT-related, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Your Technology Partner,
The LeeShanok Team
Tucson: 520-888-9122
Phoenix: 602.277.5757
