Technical support scammers try to take advantage of a victim's lack of knowledge about computers and cybersecurity.
A pop-up message or blank screen usually appears on a computer or phone, telling the victim their device is damaged or has malware and needs fixing. The message directs the victim to call a support number for help.
When they call the support, the scammer may either request remote access to the victim’s computer and/or demand they pay a fee to have it repaired. They may also charge victims excessive amounts to install anti-malware software (which is often just a free software).
In 2021, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received just under 14,000 complaints about tech support fraud from older victims who suffered nearly $238 million in losses.