Online scammers are increasingly using trusted tech brands like Apple and Microsoft to trick people into divulging sensitive information.
No, it's not really Apple or Microsoft popping up on your screen to tell you your computer has been infected. "People have all sorts of issues with their computers and they look for help, but a lot of the time the numbers they find will be a scammer's number, not the real one," said Jérôme Segura, senior director of research at Malwarebytes.Tech scams also ensnare unsuspecting consumers through phishing emails for renewal offers that seem to come from legit places, including Microsoft, McAfee, PayPal and Norton.
"Imagine being the user and hearing the non-stop audio playing in the background saying your computer is compromised. This is very stressful and it will lead people to make a bad decision in calling the fake phone number," he said. If people do click on the X or have clicked on"return to safety," the webpage will likely go into full-screen mode."If that happens, you must first exit out of full screen by long pressing on the keyboard's escape button and only then can you finally X out," Segura said.