FraudScope // Threat Library // Tech support scam
Scam type // Tech support
Tech support scams
A scary pop-up or an out-of-the-blue call says your computer is infected and you must call "support" right now. What they really want is remote access to your device and your bank. Here is how the trap is built.
What it is
Fake alarms, real access
Tech support scams impersonate Microsoft, Apple, or your antivirus. They arrive as a full-screen browser pop-up with a blaring alarm, or as a cold call claiming your device is "sending out viruses."
The goal is to get you to install remote-access software or hand over control. Once inside, the scammer can steal files, watch you log in to your bank, and lock you out.
The playbook
How the scam works
Manufacture a crisis
A pop-up or call claims a severe infection or breach, often with a fake "Microsoft" number and a countdown.
Forbid you from leaving
You are told not to shut down or call anyone, because that will "spread the virus."
Request remote access
They walk you through installing a remote-control tool so they can "fix" it.
Cash out
They demand payment for "support," or open your banking and move money while you watch.
In their words
What it looks like
Red flags
Warning signs to watch for
- A pop-up with a phone number telling you to call. Real OS warnings never do this.
- Anyone asking to remote into your computer to "fix" a problem you did not report.
- Being told not to turn off your device or contact anyone.
- Payment requested in gift cards, wire, or cryptocurrency for "support."
- A "refund" that requires you to log into your bank while they watch.
How FraudScope helps
Name the trick instantly
Screenshot the pop-up or paste the call transcript, and FraudScope explains it as a tech-support scam: fake authority, urgency, and a remote-access grab. It tells you the safe move in plain language.
Analysis runs entirely on your iPhone and makes no network requests. The only time FraudScope touches the internet is if you tap Inspect URL to check where a link really goes, and it tells you before it does.
Questions
Frequently asked
Will Microsoft or Apple ever call me about a virus?
No. Microsoft and Apple do not make unsolicited calls or show pop-ups with a phone number telling you to call. Any message like that is a scam.
I let someone remote into my computer. What now?
Disconnect from the internet, run a trusted security scan, change passwords from a different device, and call your bank if you logged in during the session. Then consider a full reset of the affected machine.
Does FraudScope send my messages anywhere?
No. Analysis runs entirely on your iPhone with no network connection. The only time it contacts the internet is if you choose to inspect a link’s destination, and it tells you before it does.
Will FraudScope catch every scam?
No tool can. FraudScope is strongest with the full content of a message and weaker with a bare screenshot that has no link or sender. It is a powerful second opinion, not a guarantee. When in doubt, slow down and check with someone you trust.
Read the scam before it reads you
FraudScope explains what a suspicious message is really trying to do, entirely on your iPhone. Now available on the App Store.