AVG LOGO_3D_4 flags_FINAL_lens letters

Scammers Pose as Anti-Virus, Go Figure

Hard Disk Control

“Yup … you’ve got the hacker bug trojan virus, that’ll be $300”

The latest ruse put on by phone scammers is posing as the popular anti-virus AVG.

In an article posted today by Eduard Kovacs @ Softpedia, it appears that AVG is warning their users of a potential scam that has phone scammers, like the ones we have talked about extensively before, posing as their company and selling computer support.

In the past, we have mainly seen these types of scammers pretending to be from Microsoft and “Detecting Malicious Activity” on your system. Of course they end up showing you bogus data and/or connecting to your system remotely in order to make the user believe that they need to pay serious cash in order to fix their problems.

This scam lends an air of legitimacy by claiming to provide support under TechBuddy, AVG’s legitimate customer support service.

Since knowledge about Microsoft scammers has become so well-known and documented, it seems logical that they would take a different approach to stealing money.

The ploy is the same, the face is different.

AVG LOGO_3D_4 flags_FINAL_lens letters

Courtesy of AVG Technologies

Can we expect further uses of this type of scam, where you get a phone call from Symantec, Kaspersky, or even Malwarebytes, informing you of a serious security threat on your system? Most likely.

We have already seen attempts for unauthorized resellers to sell users fake/outdated/bundled versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to unaware consumers.

In our age of privacy, security and high prices for tech support, the scammers are honing in on a huge demographic of unaware users who just want their computer to work, they don’t care how it’s done.

By selling security promises and exploiting the fears of the average user, who can’t go a single day without hearing or reading about some cyber attack or new malware, the scammers can name their price and based on the size and spread of the operation, it looks like it’s working.

PhoneScamPSA

Courtesy http://ragemaker.net/

Be sure, Malwarebytes will never call you and inform you that you need to buy additional protection, not unless you come to us first.

Be aware and be suspicious, tell everyone you know that these threats exist. Thanks for reading, safe surfing!

#DFTBA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam Kujawa

Director of Malwarebytes Labs

Over 14 years of experience fighting malware on the front lines and behind the scenes. Frequently anachronistic.