Support Scammers Rely on Fake AV to Get Victims to Call Them

Tech support scams are not uncommon. The con artist calls up random individuals and convinces them that there’s a problem with their computer. In order to address the issues, the victim must pay a certain fee.

Fake AVs, or fake antivirus programs, are also not uncommon. They’re malicious programs that mimic antivirus applications.

However, instead of warning users about real threats, Fake AVs display all sorts of bogus infections. The purpose is to get victims to register the application in order to remove the so-called threats. Of course, the registration is not free.

While these two types of scams are not uncommon, a combination of the two is.

Sophos experts have analyzed a malicious website that informs users of a malware infection. In order to remove the threat, victims are instructed to call a phone number “for immediate support.”

By employing this technique, the scammers don’t have to bother calling up random people. Instead, they wait for the potential victims to call them.