Scammers may reach you through search results, copied websites, fake listings, calendar invites, renewal notices, or unexpected calls. Do not pay or give computer access until you verify the contact independently.
In 60 seconds
- Anyone using a computer, phone, online account, or payment card can encounter a tech support scam.
- Check whether you expected the contact, then find the company’s details independently.
- Stop contact today; if you paid, call your bank or card company promptly.
- Do not install remote-access software or give an unexpected caller control of your computer.
Who should care and what to do now
Anyone who uses a computer, phone, online account, or payment card can encounter these scams. The contact may claim there is a problem with your device, software, subscription, or account.
Malwarebytes says scammers now use more than fake virus warnings. They may copy a trusted company’s website, place an advertisement in search results, create a fake listing on a trusted platform, send a renewal message, or use a fake calendar invite or payment notification.
If a message, page, or caller says there is a problem, pause before calling. Ask whether you expected the contact. Do not use the link or phone number in the warning. Find the company through an official app, a bill, or a website address you enter yourself.
Do not install remote-access software, which lets another person control your computer over the internet, because of an unexpected warning. Do not share passwords, personal information, or payment details until the claim has been checked.
What the scammer wants
According to Malwarebytes, the usual goals are payment, personal information, or access to the computer. A scammer may try to persuade you to install remote-access software. If you allow the connection, the scammer may be able to view files, folders, and the information they contain.
A trusted platform does not prove that a contact is genuine. A search result, business listing, email, text, calendar invite, or payment notice may look familiar while still leading to a scammer.
Malwarebytes says it does not make unsolicited support calls. An unexpected call claiming that your computer has a problem is a strong warning sign. Hang up rather than arguing, then look up the company independently if you think help is needed.
If you already paid or gave access
If you paid, tell your bank or credit card company what happened and ask what steps are available. Watch your accounts and cards for unfamiliar charges so you can report them quickly.
If you shared a password, change it on every account that uses the same password. Turn on two-factor authentication, an extra sign-in check, for important accounts. A password manager can help you create different passwords for each account.
If someone accessed your computer, have it checked for software they may have left behind. Malwarebytes warns that a backdoor, meaning software that may allow later access, could remain after a scammer connects. Be careful with later emails or texts as well, since the scammer may try another approach.
For contacts claiming to represent Malwarebytes, the company says its support is handled by its own team, not outsourced third parties. It also says it does not make unsolicited support calls and uses a credit card processor for transactions. Malwarebytes identifies a demand for another payment method as a warning sign.
Does this affect me?
- Who may be affected
- Anyone who receives an unexpected warning, call, message, search result, listing, renewal notice, calendar invite, or payment alert about a computer, account, or subscription should care.
- How to check
- Ask whether you expected the contact, then find the company’s official website, app, bill, or support number yourself. Do not use contact details supplied in the warning.
- What to do
- Stop communicating with the sender or caller. If you paid or shared information, contact your bank or card company and change any reused passwords.
- What to avoid
- Do not install remote-access software, give a stranger control of your computer, share passwords, or pay through an unusual method because of an unexpected support claim.
Common questions
How can I tell whether a tech support call is real?
An unexpected call claiming your computer has a problem is a strong warning sign. Hang up and contact the company through a website, app, bill, or support number you found independently. Do not call back using the number the caller gave you.
What should I do if I let the caller control my computer?
End the connection and have the computer checked for software the caller may have installed. Change any password you shared, including on other accounts where it was reused, and watch bank and card accounts for unfamiliar activity.
Can a fake search result or business listing be part of the scam?
Yes. Malwarebytes says scammers may abuse sponsored search results, copy trusted websites, or create fake listings on trusted platforms to persuade people to call. A familiar platform does not prove that the listing or contact is genuine.
What does Malwarebytes say about people impersonating its support team?
Malwarebytes says it does not outsource support, does not make unsolicited support calls, and uses a credit card processor for transactions. A person using another company name, refusing card payment, or calling without being asked is a warning sign, according to the company.
Primary source
This article is based on Malwarebytes’ “Tech support scams look different now. Here’s what to watch for,” published September 2, 2026: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/scams/2026/09/tech-support-scams-look-different-now-heres-what-to-watch-for Read the complete original source.
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Article history: Published Sep 2, 2026 at 5:55 pm EDT. Updates and corrections are noted here when material facts change.
