I warn you a lot about scams that happen over the phone, when someone calls you and tries to get your personal information or money. This week, I want to warn you about another scam that can hit while you’re checking your email or surfing the web.

In just one week, I heard from not one, not two, but three viewers who dealt with the “computer tech support scam.”

Each of them had a similar message pop up on their computer screens. “They found out there was pornography on my computer and other horrible things, which of course there isn’t, and if I didn’t call within five minutes and have them fix it for me, then I would lose everything on the computer,” Doris said.

For Nola, it was the Microsoft scam. “I got a pop up that said it was a warning from Microsoft that I was getting pornographic pictures or whatever. The point was if I didn’t call Microsoft right then on the number that was on my screen that they would have to shut down my entire (computer).”


The message on Linda’s computer scared her daughter. “It had to do with pornographic websites and they were trying to get all her information,” Linda said. “If you turn it off, they would release the videos or something like that. They said do not turn this off. Please call this number.”

The messages might vary, but the scam is the same. The crooks are after your hard-earned money or your personal information. The scammers ask you to call a phone number and when you do they tell you that you have to pay them money in order to fix your computer. It’s a ruse to make you pay up.