Fake Microsoft or Apple Support Call? What to Do in West TN

A phone call from someone claiming to be Microsoft or Apple support is a scam, plain and simple, and if you are reading this after one of those calls, take a breath because you probably have more time than they want you to think.

I hear about these calls from folks around Lexington, Jackson, and all over West Tennessee. The caller sounds friendly and sure of themselves. They tell you your computer is sending out errors, or that it has a virus, or that your account was hacked. They want you to hurry. That hurry is the tell. Let me walk you through what is really going on and what to do about it.

Why this is always a scam

Microsoft and Apple do not call people out of the blue about problems on their computers. They do not have a way to see that your particular laptop in Henderson or Parsons has a virus, and they do not make cold calls to tell you so. If a phone call starts with them telling you something is wrong, it is not them.

The same goes for pop-ups on your screen that show a phone number and say to call right away. Those are fake too. If that is what happened to you, I wrote about it separately under scareware pop-ups, because the steps overlap.

The people on the other end are running a script. Their goal is to get you to do one of three things: let them connect to your computer, give them a credit card number or gift card codes, or log in to your bank so they can supposedly help you with a refund. Any one of those can cost you real money.

What they usually say and ask you to do

Here are the things I hear most often, so you can match them up with what happened to you:

• They say they are from Microsoft, Apple, Windows, or a company with a name that sounds official.
• They tell you that hackers or viruses are on your computer right now.
• They ask you to open a program or website so they can connect and look around.
• They show you a screen full of scary-looking text and say it proves the problem. Those screens are normal on every computer. Windows has plenty of harmless warnings and logs in it.
• They ask for payment to fix it, often by card, wire, gift card, or a payment app.
• They tell you not to hang up, not to tell anyone, or that you will lose your data if you wait.

Real help never works that way. Nobody legitimate pushes you to stay on the line and keep the secret.

Try this first: what to do right now

If you are still on the phone, hang up. You are not being rude. If you already hung up, good. Now go through these steps in order.

1. Do not call them back. If they left a number or you have caller ID, leave it alone. Calling back just puts you in front of the same people.
2. Disconnect from the internet. On Windows, click the Wi-Fi icon in the bottom right corner and turn Wi-Fi off, or unplug the network cable. On a Mac, click the Wi-Fi icon in the top right of the screen and turn Wi-Fi off. This cuts off anyone who might be connected.
3. Check for remote access programs. On Windows, open Start, type installed apps, and look through the list for anything you do not remember installing. Names like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, ConnectWise, or Supremo are the ones scammers use. On a Mac, open the Applications folder and look for the same names. If you did not put it there, it should not be there. You can right-click and uninstall it on Windows, or drag it to the Trash on a Mac.
4. Restart the computer and reconnect to Wi-Fi only after you have checked the list above.
5. Change your passwords from a different device. Use your phone or another computer, not the one they touched. Start with your email, then your bank, then anything else important. Email first matters because it is the key to resetting everything else.
6. Run a full scan. On Windows, open Windows Security, choose Virus and threat protection, then Scan options, then Full scan. On a Mac, the same idea applies with whatever security software you use.
7. Call your bank or card company if you gave out any account or card numbers, or paid anything. Tell them it was a tech support scam. The sooner you call, the better your chances of stopping a charge.

If you only picked up the phone and hung up, and never touched the computer, you are most likely fine. Just stay alert for the next call, because scammers often try again.

If you let them connect to your computer

This is the situation that worries me most, and it is more common than people admit. Please do not feel foolish. These callers do this all day long and they are good at sounding believable.

If you let someone connect, assume they could see or copy what was on your screen. That means the safe move is to treat your passwords as exposed. Change them from another device, starting with email and banking. Watch your bank and card statements closely for the next several weeks. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus if you gave out personal details like your Social Security number.

If you paid with gift cards, call the company on the back of the card right away and report it. If you paid by card or bank transfer, call your bank. If it was a lot of money, you can also report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the Tennessee Attorney General.

One thing worth knowing: scammers sometimes leave something behind, like a hidden remote program, so they can get back in later. That is why the cleanup matters even after you disconnect. A computer they touched should be checked, not just trusted.

When to stop and call

Stop and call me if any of these are true: you let someone connect to your computer, you gave out a password or account number, you are not sure what you clicked, or the computer is acting strange afterward (slow, strange pop-ups, programs you do not recognize, things opening on their own).

I can look at it with remote support. The remote session is $49, usually under an hour, and it is no fix no fee. I will check for leftover remote-access programs, scan for anything that should not be there, and walk you through locking down your accounts. You can reach me by call or text at (731) 202-3429, or you can book a callback and I will get back to you.

If you are in Henderson or Madison County and would rather have someone at the house, ask about in-home repair. For most scam cleanups, though, remote works fine and you can stay in your chair.

How to spot the next one before it costs you

A few simple rules will protect you for good:

• Microsoft, Apple, your bank, and the IRS will not cold-call you about a problem and ask for remote access or payment.
• If a call worries you, hang up and look up the real number yourself on the company's official website. Do not use a number the caller gives you.
• Never pay for tech help with gift cards, wire transfers, or payment apps. Real companies do not ask for that.
• Never let a stranger who called you connect to your computer.
• When in doubt, call someone you trust, a family member, a neighbor, or me, before you do anything.

If your phone number keeps getting hit, you can add it to the National Do Not Call Registry. It will not stop real scammers, but it cuts down on the ordinary junk calls so the strange ones stand out more.

Common questions

Is it possible the call was actually from Microsoft or Apple?

Not if they called you first about a problem on your computer. Those companies do not make that kind of call. If you want to be sure, hang up and contact them yourself through their official website.

How much does it cost to have you check my computer after a scam call?

The remote session is $49, usually under an hour, and it is no fix no fee. If it is after hours and cannot wait, the after-hours emergency remote rate is $89. You can call or text (731) 202-3429.

Do I need to replace my computer if a scammer got in?

Usually not. Most of the time the damage is a leftover program and exposed passwords, both of which can be cleaned up and changed. Only in rare cases does a machine need a full reset, and I will tell you straight if it does.