Home
Internet
Internet News
Microsoft Survey Reveals 68 Percent Indians Have Faced Tech Support Scams

Microsoft Survey Reveals 68 Percent Indians Have Faced Tech Support Scams

By Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: 16 October 2018 16:56 IST

Highlights

14 percent people have even lost money owing to the scam
Three out of five people globally have experienced scam in the past year
Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit has been working to combat this scam

Keeping with the global trend, 68 percent people in India have experienced tech support scams in the past year and some of them (14 percent) have even lost money, a Microsoft survey said on Tuesday.

Tech support scams are a problem worldwide, with three out of five people globally having experienced one in the past year and one in five losing money to fraudsters, according to the "Tech Support Scam Survey 2018" released by Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit.

A technical support scam refers to fraud in which a scammer claims to offer a technical support service, often via calls to unsuspecting users.

"These sophisticated scams are evolving from cold calls to fake online pop-up ads and fraudulent websites - and affect everyone, even savvy online users," said the survey.

Additionally, the cost of these scams goes beyond monetary loss, with people reporting higher stress levels after dealing with this type of fraud.

"However, since 2016, India is experiencing fewer tech support scams, with 68 percent in 2018 versus 80 percent in 2016," the findings showed.

Among those surveyed in India, 40 percent continued with the scam while 28 percent ignored the scam.

"While 14 percent of people in India continued with the scam and lost money, 84 percent experienced severe/moderate stress levels after experiencing the scam," said the findings.

Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit has been working to combat this type of global cybercrime by using a data-driven approach to investigate tech support fraud networks and refer cases to law enforcement as appropriate.

It is also strengthening its products and services to better protect consumers from various fraudulent tactics and educating consumers about how to stay safe online.

If you receive a notification or call from someone claiming to be from a reputable software company, be wary of any unsolicited pop-up message on your device, don't click on it, and don't call the number.

"Microsoft will never pro-actively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. Any communication we have with you must be initiated by you," said the company.

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.