Trust & Safety
How to Tell If Tech Support Is a Scam
The red flags are usually louder than they look: pressure, impersonation, gift cards, remote access demands, and fake security warnings.
7 min read
The clean read
Real support does not need to scare you into acting in the next five minutes. If somebody says your bank account, iCloud, Windows license, or phone will be destroyed unless you pay right now, slow down.
What to check
Gift cards, surprise remote-access requests, and pressure to type passwords while someone watches are all stop signs.
Next move
A clean next step is boring on purpose: close the popup, call the official number from the company website or card, check recent charges, and get a second opinion before money moves.
Red flags
The biggest red flags are payment pressure, surprise remote access, refund promises, gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, and anyone who says you cannot hang up.
Keep it practical
If you already shared access, disconnect from the internet, stop payment if possible, call the bank or payment provider, change important passwords from a different trusted device, and document what happened.