If you have a problem with your computer and need help, be really careful who you call for support. We have had two calls in the last couple of days from domestic clients who had printer connection issues, googled a support number, and nearly got scammed ...
Be extra vigilant with how you search for IT Support contact numbers, and if you're in any doubt, call us!
When you use a search engine to find contact details how can you be sure you are contacting who you think you are contacting? When the search results came up, the examples we had were one HP support site and one for Canon.
"You could find these are spoofed websites which are not the actual company at all!"
If you can verify who you are calling in any way at all then you should. Look carefully at the search results you are seeing and check if they look real and if everything is consistent with what you would expect.
If you have any paperwork from the purchase of the item then try and find a contact number through that if you can. Better still, when you buy an item, save a number for the support in your address book so that when you do hit issues, you can use that number to get help rather than a random internet search.
In both these cases, our clients were encouraged to install remote support software which allowed access by the scammers. One of them even started to solve the issues they needed and then they tried to sell unnecessary products to them at stupidly expensive prices. One was told it would cost £4,000 to change their IP address, at which point they realised that something was not quite right.
If you are not comfortable with what you are being asked to do then stop, turn off your computer, and seek help. If your computer is turned off, even if you have given them access, they can't do anything when there is no power to the machine!
Be extra vigilant with how you search for contact numbers, and only allow trusted people any remote access to your machine. Now, people are getting wise to bank account fraud so scammers are finding new and more inventive ways to take hard-earned money from people so you never can be too sure.
Better still, just call us and we can sort it for you.
Until next time ...
ALISON MEAD
Would you like to know more?
If anything I've written in this blog post resonates with you and you'd like to discover more about Silicon Bullet's IT Support service, it may be a great idea to give me a call on 01604 217365 and let's see how I can help you.
Alison loves bookkeeping and supporting bookkeepers. She has been helping clients to be better bookkeepers in Sage 50 for over 24 years and has been Xero Accredited in accounts and payroll for a number of years too.
She specialises in a very unique hand-holding method of training, helping bookkeepers and business owners to use their accounts software as and when they need support in setting up and producing their invoices, reports and financial information.
Alison combines her role at Silicon Bullet with her Forever Living network marketing businesses and is often to be seen at business networking meetings as she likes to keep busy.
You know what they say: if you want something done well ask a busy person!
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