Don’t Fall for These Scams!

It is always helpful to get insider information when making decisions and to avoid the pitfalls in life. When it comes to keeping your computer working for you instead of putting you at risk, the best insider information is to not fall for scams that could make you vulnerable. While not all of the following scams are specific to your computer, they are all a ploy to get your hard-earned money.

Scenario #1: You get a call saying they are from the IRS that stresses you must pay them immediately.

First of all, the IRS does not call people. It may seem legitimate because the caller has your tax identification number and the caller ID might even show up as being from Washington, DC, but make no mistake about it– this is not the IRS calling you. Do not give them any information. Just hang up.

Scenario #2: You get a call saying your computer is sending error messages and needs to be fixed immediately.

They will try all sorts of lies, including saying you have a virus that needs to be removed or you will lose your ability to be online forever. Scare tactics like this are always a scam. They are just trying to get you to purchase something you don’t need or even get nothing in return for giving them your credit card number. Incidentally, they’ll usually charge the card far more than you agreed on. Do not give access to your computer to anyone but a reliable computer repair professional.

Scenario #3: You get a call from someone saying they are your family and need money.

If you do not recognize the voice of your loved one, don’t fall for this scam. If you share quite a bit of information on social media, it is easy enough for a scammer to learn the name of your family members and impersonate them to get you to wire transfer money. Call your family member first directly to see if it is truly them and don’t give any money unless you are confident you are talking to your actual family member.

Scenario #4: Someone reaches out to you on social media and soon after becoming friends, asks you for money.

No matter what the urgency of their plea, this is most often a scam. They’ll tell you anything that they think you’ll believe, such as a dying family member needing medical care, needing money to stay in college, having been evicted and needing money to pay rent or they’ll become homeless, etc. It is wise to never give money to anyone online.

At GeeksPeropleLike.com, we are the ones you should turn to for virus removal issues rather than ever trusting someone who calls you out of the blue. With more than 30 years of experience, we can be trusted to provide the assistance you need so you’ll never fall victim to a scammer. Don’t hesitate to contact our internet help desk if you are having issues.