A report in Computer World (April 24, 2018) stated "Microsoft cites 24% jump in tech support scams". These scams are designed to trick users into believing their devices are compromised or broken. They do this to scare or coerce victims into purchasing unnecessary support services. According to company data, Microsoft received 153,000 reports from customers who had encountered or fallen for tech support scams in 2017, an increase of nearly a quarter over the year prior. Of that number, approximately 15,000 - or about 1 in 10 - admitted that they'd lost money from such scams; with victims losing between $200 and $400 each.
In March, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released a similar report saying it had seen complaints rise even higher - by 86 percent. The IC3 also added that as the number of scammers has increased, criminals’ tactics have also evolved, from posing as tech support to pretending to be law enforcement or government officials who are trying to recover losses incurred by support fraud schemes.
No legitimate tech support agent will contact you unsolicited, and especially not by phone. Pop-ups on your computer warning of some security issue and urging you to immediately call some telephone number for support are always a SCAM!
You can read more about Tech Support Fraud in this IC3 / FBI Public Service Announcement.
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