Remote Tech Support Scams: How to Spot Them
Published on September 29, 2026
Legitimate remote support exists precisely because it works — and that's exactly why scammers exist who copy the form without the substance. Based on data from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB), these are the signs that show up in almost every scam of this kind, so you can tell it apart from a real service.
1. They contact you first, not the other way around
With a legitimate service, you go looking for help and hire it. A scam usually starts with an unsolicited call or a pop-up claiming to have "detected" a problem on your computer — without you asking for anything.
2. An "urgent" security alert with a phone number
The FTC flags this as the most common tactic: a full-screen window, sometimes imitating a well-known brand's logo, insisting you call a number right away. No legitimate company detects a problem on your computer and tells you about it this way.
3. They ask for remote access before explaining anything
A legitimate service tells you what it's going to do and, usually, what it will cost, before connecting. If someone asks for remote control of your computer before giving you any clear explanation, that's a red flag.
4. They "show" you viruses that are actually normal files
One documented tactic is opening normal system tools (like Windows Event Viewer) and pointing at routine warning messages as if they were proof of a serious infection — these are ordinary errors that show up on any computer, virus or not.
5. They ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfer, or crypto
The FTC has a specific warning about this: no legitimate tech support company will ask you to pay with gift cards, Western Union, or cryptocurrency. It's, quite literally, scammers' payment method of choice because it's nearly impossible to recover.
6. The price goes up once they already have access to your computer
Amounts reported to the FTC typically run around $290-$500, sometimes climbing above $1,000 once the scammer is already connected to your computer — the upfront flat price disappears exactly when you'd need it most.
7. They call back to "refund" an overcharge
A common variant: days later they call saying you were overcharged by mistake, and ask you to send back the difference by wire transfer or gift card — it's the same scam, in a second act.
8. They're evasive about the company's name or address
A real company has no problem telling you its legal name, its address, and how to reach it outside of that same call. If they dodge the question, you already have your answer.
At OneTechWeFix it's the opposite on every one of these points: you contact us when you want to, you see the exact price before anyone connects to your computer, you see everything the technician does on screen in real time, and we only accept payment through our platform — never gift cards or direct wire transfers to a person.
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