Avast has said that tech support fraud remains a massive issue in India with 203,295 attacks identified from January through March 2021. According to Avast Threat Labs, users in India are frequently attacked by technical support fraud.
How Tech Support Scams Work
Tech support scams happen when fraudsters use scare tactics to trick innocent individuals into purchasing overpriced and unnecessary “support services” to fix an alleged computer, device, or software problem. They convince victims that their computer has been infected by malware; a window will pop up, alerting the user of a malware or spyware infection on their computer, and that their only recourse is to call a phone hotline for technical support. Once on the phone, scammers try to convince the callers to establish a remote connection to their computer and sometimes download a second remote management software without the user knowing to keep up a constant connection to the user’s PC.
Once granted access, bad actors can also install malware, or other malicious programs that damage the data housed on devices, or even worse, harvest personal information. Criminals with access to this type of sensitive data can leverage it to gain entry into financial accounts, health records, or other essential services. In addition, fraudsters go to great lengths to convince victims of their legitimacy, including creating web pages that imitate antivirus or firewall software warnings or even setting up fake companies to validate their con.
“Tech support fraud is increasingly common and targets some of the most vulnerable individuals. Criminals exploit victims through money or personal information,” said Alexej Savcin, Senior Malware Analyst, Avast. “Above all, remember that whether it’s a phone call or a website, legitimate tech support won’t ever proactively seek you out to fix an issue. If in doubt, don’t engage, give access to your devices, or share any personal information. At Avast, we are passionate about supporting vulnerable populations online, like the elderly, and are available to troubleshoot any issues.”
