Unsuspecting consumers risk spending hundreds of dollars unnecessarily after falling victim to pop-up ad tech support scams.
Vancouver resident Bob Beech was installing Norton anti-virus software when a Norton advisory flashed a dire warning across his computer screen. Beech says the logo looked authentic.
“When I saw the Norton logo and a phone number, I said to myself, this is Norton. They are using a logo, that’s got to be legitimate,” said Beech.
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He called the number provided and ended up spending $600 USD. It wasn’t until his wife got a similar call that Beech says he realized he’d been duped. When he called Norton directly, Beech was able to install the software for just $50.
Tech expert Tristan Jutras says tech support scams are becoming more sophisticated and aggressive.
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“This is all part of an elaborate confidence scheme to gain our trust and alarm us, ” says Jutras.
One of the best things to protect yourself, Jutras says, is to take your computer offline and then contact the actual provider. Also, do not click on links or documents you don’t recognize.
“A legitimate company won’t call you and ask for money,” says Jutras.
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