Solution Tech Support

A staff member at TINA.org recently received a call from someone claiming to be a tech support specialist. The conversation went something like this:

THEM (staticky connection, blocked phone number, foreign accent): Hello, I am calling because your computer is showing errors and warnings. There are dangerous programs running…

US (really excited to get an obviously scammy call to write about, but trying to play it cool): Great! Thanks so much for calling! What company are you with?

THEM: Solution Tech Support. We need to remotely access your computer to get rid of the dangerous programs…

US: Awesome. What’s your phone number?

THEM: 813-667-0513. So if you’ll just log on to your computer right now…

US: Right, in a minute, that sounds good. Where are you located?

THEM: …Florida? Are you turning your computer on?

US: Nope. Sorry! Thanks! Bye!

Some or all of the information they gave could be made up (they certainly didn’t sound like they were in Florida, and the website domain for Solution Tech Support is registered in India), but allowing anyone you don’t know and haven’t sought out to access your computer remotely is a bad idea. This call sounds suspiciously like one commonly reported to the FTC, which could lead to malware or identity theft.

A reader reported a similar incident a few months ago. If you receive a call from someone making similar claims, report it to us or the FTC. See our article on stopping telemarketing calls for more information.