Millennials falling for new tech support scams

[+Warwagon MVC]

Millennials falling for new tech support scams
 

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Have you run into one of those pop up tech support scams that sound a loud alarm and claim your computer is infected with a virus? A Microsoft survey says two out of three people have experienced a tech support scam in the last 12 months and nearly one in ten lost money.

 

The pop-ups, which provide a number to call for help, are only the latest version of the tech support scam, which also uses telephone calls and infected web sites. Nearly one in ten people have lost money to such scams with younger users from 18 to 24 accounting for half those who bit.

 

Findings from the Microsoft survey, released as part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, include:

 

One in five consumers continued after being contacted

 

Nearly one in ten lost money to such scams.

 

Only 17 percent of those who continued with a fraudulent interaction were older than 55, while 34 percent were between the ages of 36 and 54.

 

U.S. Chinese and Indian consumers were most likely to continue the scam transaction with more than half (55 percent) of those in India going on with the scam.

 

More than half (55 percent) of U.S. consumers who continued with the scam lost money.

 

Many scammed did recover some money, 92 percent in the U.S., 58 percent in China, and 67 percent in India.

 

Many consumers have experienced the previously most common method of working the scam, which is still in use today. A caller claims to be from Microsoft tech support or other reputable company and claims a user’s computer is infected with malware or technical problems. The calls were often targeted at senior citizens.

 

Directed to turn over remote control of their computer to be fixed, those scammed instead fall victim to downloads of malicious software that can reveal personal information and take control of the users PC, or are asked to pay a fee of several hundred dollars to fix the problem.

 

Now, however, the Microsoft report says the scammers have evolved even more sophisticated methods. They use pop-ups, email, and scam websites.

 

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Read more at http://wraltechwire.com/millennials-falling-for-new-tech-support-scams/16127596/#7u76Y0utBDQR6biY.99

 

[+Gary7 Subscriber²]

I thought this was posted before??

[KingCracker]

Ugh this generation is filled with lazy self entitled brats, now you can add stupid on top of that.

[+Warwagon MVC]

9 minutes ago, KingCracker said:

Ugh this generation is filled with lazy self entitled brats, now you can add stupid on top of that.

 

 

 

 

To be fair I get a lot more calls from 40+  about these types of scams. 95% of them already let them on their computer. I had one woman yesterday that let them on their computer and then they password protected the bootup using syskey, because they wouldn't pay.

 

Then she asked me why the antivirus didn't prevent it LOL. I told her no antivirus will protect you from social engineering (you letting them on your computer)

[Tuskd]

I think this happens because it stems from the fact that people (especially this generation) want to get things done without caring about how things are done. A simple problem and they lose their minds. A friend of mine bought a wifi USB adapter when all he needed to do was update his wifi driver in his laptop.

[+Warwagon MVC]

Putting on the other shoe for a moment, I can see how they can be tricked. To most members here (excluding a few ) know this is  obviously a scam. But that's because we live and breath this stuff and are technically inclined. 

 

Let's take the IRS scam, I've gotten those fake phone calls before, and I know they are fake, but still when I hear the words IRS and you owing them money, my heart skips a beat for a nanosecond.

 

Now imagine a person who is not technically inclined and they have a popup appear on their system saying they have a virus. I can absolutely see how those people's heart skips a beats and the person  freaks and call the number.

 

Most people I talk to think everything is a virus. "I can't send email's, I get just this SMTP error, I think I have a virus".

[MikeChipshop Member]

33 minutes ago, KingCracker said:

Ugh this generation is filled with lazy self entitled brats, now you can add stupid on top of that.

Isn't this what every generation says about the new generation? I mean, I do