How fake virus pop-ups and tech support calls take over computers and bank accounts, the warning signs, and what to do if you gave a scammer access.
Tech support scams start with a fake warning. It might be a pop-up that freezes your browser, a call claiming to be from Microsoft or Apple, or a search ad that leads to a fake help line. The goal is always the same: get you to call, install remote access software, and then pay for a repair you never needed or hand over bank access.
The articles here explain how these scams reach people, including scam ads that appear at the top of search results, and what real companies actually do. Microsoft, Apple and your bank do not cold call you about viruses, and a real warning never asks you to call a phone number on the screen.
If you already let someone connect to your computer, disconnect it from the internet, contact your bank, and follow our step-by-step guide for people who lost money.
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