Tech-support scams are designed to create panic. A caller, pop-up, email, or search result may claim that your computer or account has an urgent problem. The person may ask you to install remote-access software, share a verification code, sign in to a bank, buy gift cards, move money, or pay for unnecessary service.
If this happened to you, focus on the next useful step rather than embarrassment. The order matters. Device cleanup can address unwanted software, but it cannot secure a bank account or reverse a payment. Start with money and accounts whenever they may be at risk.
1. End contact with the scammer.
Hang up, close the chat, and end any remote-access session you can safely close. Do not call a number shown in the warning, pop-up, email, or text. The Federal Trade Commission recommends contacting a company through a phone number you already know is correct. The FBI also warns that sponsored search results can lead to fraudulent support numbers.
Do not send another payment to someone who promises to recover lost money. Criminals may contact victims again after the first incident while pretending to be a bank, government agency, security company, or recovery service.
2. Contact the financial company immediately.
If you sent money, exposed a card, signed in to online banking while the scammer watched, or shared financial information, contact the bank, card issuer, or payment provider right away. Use the number printed on the card, the official app, or a statement you trust. Explain what happened and ask what steps are available for the payment involved.
Level Up Electronics can help clean a device, but we cannot freeze accounts, dispute charges, reverse transfers, or recover money. Those steps belong with the financial institution or payment provider.
Review recent account activity for transactions or changes you do not recognize. Follow the institution’s directions for securing the account, replacing a card, or changing online access.
3. Protect your email and other accounts.
If the scammer saw a password, you typed it while remote access was active, or you reused it elsewhere, change it. Start with the email account used for password resets, then protect financial, shopping, cloud-storage, and social accounts. Use a device you believe is safe when possible.
- Create a new, strong password for each affected account.
- Change the same password anywhere else you reused it.
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Review recovery addresses, phone numbers, forwarding rules, and signed-in devices for changes you did not make.
- Never give an unexpected caller a verification code.
If you can no longer sign in, use the provider’s official recovery process. Go directly to the known website or app rather than following a link sent by the person who contacted you.
4. Preserve useful evidence.
Save what you already have without keeping the scammer connected. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recommends retaining original emails, documents, and communication logs. Useful notes can include:
- The date and approximate time of the call, pop-up, text, or email.
- Phone numbers, email addresses, websites, names, and links used.
- The name of any remote-access app the person asked you to install.
- Receipts, payment records, transaction details, or gift-card information.
- Screenshots or photos of messages that remain available.
- A short description of what the person asked you to do and what information they may have seen.
Do not email passwords, PINs, Social Security numbers, or full banking details to a repair shop. Bring a concise incident timeline instead.
5. Check and clean the device.
The FTC recommends updating security software, running a scan, removing anything it identifies as a problem, changing passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication after a scammer has accessed a computer or phone. Professional cleanup can help when you are unsure what was installed, browser settings changed, or unwanted apps remain.
Level Up Electronics provides scam-related virus, malware, unwanted-app, and browser-hijacking cleanup for PCs, phones, and tablets. Factory resets are also available for PCs, phones, and tablets when appropriate. A reset erases data and settings, so consider the backup situation first.
Service scope: physical hardware repairs and upgrades are limited to laptops and desktop computers. We do not physically repair phones, tablets, gaming consoles, controllers, accessories, TVs, or other electronics. Phone and tablet service is limited to virus or malware cleanup, unwanted-app cleanup, and factory resets.
6. Report what happened.
Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If personal information was stolen or used, IdentityTheft.gov can create a recovery plan. Cyber-enabled fraud can also be reported to the FBI at IC3.gov.
IdentityTheft.gov explains how to contact affected companies, place a fraud alert, review credit reports, and document identity theft. Reporting does not guarantee that money will be recovered, but it creates a record and gives appropriate organizations details about the incident.
What to bring for local device cleanup.
Bring the affected device and its charger or power adapter. Bring your written timeline, screenshots, the names of remote-access apps, and any security warnings you saw. Tell us whether your bank or account providers have been contacted and whether important files are backed up.
Do not bring written passwords or full financial credentials. If access is needed during service, discuss the safest approach with the team when you arrive.
GET HELP IN PLATTSBURGH.
Visit Level Up Electronics LLC at 18 Clinton Street or start a service request before you come in.
Common questions after a tech-support scam
Should I contact my bank or clean the device first?
If money, payment information, or a financial account may be affected, contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider immediately using a verified number or official app. Handle urgent account protection first, then arrange device cleanup.
Should I change passwords after giving someone remote access?
Yes. Change compromised passwords and any reused passwords, starting with your email account, and turn on two-factor authentication. Use a device you believe is safe when possible.
Can Level Up recover money sent to a scammer?
No. Contact the bank, card issuer, or payment provider involved and ask what recovery options are available. Level Up can help with device cleanup, but cannot reverse payments or recover funds.
Do you repair phones or tablets after a scam?
Level Up does not perform physical phone or tablet repairs. For phones and tablets, services are limited to virus, malware, and unwanted-app cleanup and factory resets.
Should I factory-reset a device immediately?
Not always. A factory reset erases data and settings, so first protect financial accounts, preserve useful evidence, and consider what must be backed up. A cleanup assessment can help determine whether a reset is appropriate.