A couple days ago I called up what I thought was the UK number for Avast support. I should have done more research before calling and I’m usually safe about this kind of thing 99.9% of the time, but the number was the top result on Google, and according to Avast the site the number was listed on had a positive rating, so I called the number.
I got paired with some guy who told me to visit fastsupport.com (which I thought was avastsupport.com at first because I misheard him), so he makes a joke about them being fast with solving problems, so I confirm he means fast and not avast and I type in the website.
When I get onto the website he tells me to put in my full name, which I gave him earlier, and the code he generated for me, so I do that and GoToAssist.exe starts to download and I click it. The thing takes forever to download and I ask why, but he doesn’t respond. Something comes up on my screen asking if I want to start a session with the guy, and I get freaked out when he says he’s going to take control of my PC, since that seems way too over the top for a refund, which is what I was after, so I just click no, hang up on the guy, uninstall GoToAssist and run a full virus scan with Avast and find 0 malicious files. Am I safe?
So last night I couldn’t sleep so I as watching a couple YouTube videos and come across this guy basically showing this exact same scam. The woman he spoke to even uses the same language the guy used on me, word for word, so needless to say, I’m incredibly freaked out. But at the same time I looked up GoToAssist and there are legitimate reviews, and outside of scamming people it seems to be a program people actually use for tech support, so I’m doubting I downloaded anything dodgy.
Please help.
Quick edit: please don’t be too harsh on me. I feel like an idiot for even calling this number. I guess I was just in a rush to get my problem fixed, but I’ll be coming on here and submitting tickets from now on. Definitely learned from this whole experience.
Sorry to hear about that!
What was the phone number you dialled to? I am afraid that fastsupport.com is just a front end for GoToAssist and that Citrix (developers of the application) may not be even aware that it is being used for scams.
Yo, the phone number was 08000988371 and it was one of the top results on Google when you type “avast support number uk” which is exactly what I googled.
So the site fastsupport.com in and of its itself isn’t dangerous, and I simply downloaded the GoToAssist software, right? These people are just trying to use it to mess with people. So I shouldn’t have any nasty files on my PC. Still running a full scan to be 100% sure.
The problem is these scammers are wise to this too and and they push to get their web site higher up the order.
Would you believe they also try to spam this forum with their so called support, but they are soon deleted.
They aren’t so much trying to mess with you (there is no money in that), they are trying to give you a headache to sell you an aspirin. Tell you that you have a problem and try to charge to resolve it.
The problem is these scammers are wise to this too and and they push to get their web site higher up the order.
Would you believe they also try to spam this forum with their so called support, but they are soon deleted.
They aren’t so much trying to mess with you (there is no money in that), they are trying to give you a headache to sell you an aspirin. Tell you that you have a problem and try to charge to resolve it.
I’m glad to hear that you guys delete them off hear. It’s pretty toxic. They like taking advantage of people’s trust. I’ve learned not to rush into things though since that’s what got me into this mess. Trying to rush a solution instead of waiting patiently. Thanks for the help everyone. Much obliged.
I was looking for help with HP printer. Somehow got lured to fastsupport. Went through the process, they were “helping” me through control of my computer. While they were “working” I looked up fastsupport only to find they are labled as a scam. I disconnected, tech called me and I told him of my concern, he told me to go to an address to see that they were legit (ya right, I’m going to get a recommendation from your own site), I tell him to call back in 5 minutes, he calls within seconds and continues with 10 rapid calls, I blow him off. I receive voice mail that says " you f___er, you f___er, you c__k sucker, I’ll f__k your mother like a dog", sound like a professional legit business to you? I did take satisfaction in pissing off a scammer. Reset my computer and stripped everything. Hope that works. Stay clear or mess with their heads.