The technician showed me errors in the system — wasn't that real?

The items shown are usually normal event logs, present on any healthy machine, presented as proof of infection. It's a staging technique, not a diagnosis.

I let someone take control of my computer — what might they have seen?

Everything accessible in that session: files, email, passwords saved in the browser, open sessions. Change your passwords from another device and have the machine checked.

Fake tech support

In plain terms

A full-screen alert claims your computer is infected and displays a number to call. On the phone, a fake technician talks you into installing software that hands them control of your machine.

Definition

The fake tech support scam makes you believe your computer is infected or locked, in order to gain remote access to the machine or get you to pay for unnecessary assistance.

How it works

The starting point is often a webpage showing an alarming alert, sometimes with sound and a message preventing you from closing the window, along with a number to call. On the phone, someone presenting themselves as a technician asks you to install remote-access software — a legitimate tool, misused. Once connected, they point to harmless system elements presented as proof of infection, then charge for an intervention, sign you up for a subscription, or install malware.

Warning signs

Webpage or window displaying a security alert with a phone number to call
Apparent inability to close the alert window
Request to install a remote-control tool
A legitimate vendor invoked (operating system, antivirus) when no vendor ever calls spontaneously
Payment requested by card, transfer, or prepaid cards

How to verify

No software publisher or internet provider remotely detects an infection on your machine and then calls you about it. An alert shown in a browser is a webpage, not a diagnosis of your device: close the tab, closing the browser entirely if needed.

What to do

Don't call the number shown, don't install any remote-access software. Close the browser and, if necessary, restart the device.

If it already happened

Disconnect the device from the internet, uninstall any remote-access tool installed during the call, and have the machine scanned. From another, clean device, change your passwords, starting with email and banking. Dispute any payment made, and report the incident to the relevant authority.

Test yourself

A full-screen alert announces an infection and displays a support number.

Start the simulation

Frequently asked questions

The technician showed me errors in the system — wasn't that real?: The items shown are usually normal event logs, present on any healthy machine, presented as proof of infection. It's a staging technique, not a diagnosis.
I let someone take control of my computer — what might they have seen?: Everything accessible in that session: files, email, passwords saved in the browser, open sessions. Change your passwords from another device and have the machine checked.

Official sources

Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr — Fake tech support (French government cybersecurity assistance service)

This article is part of the Social engineering family. Last updated: 2026-08-31.