Online scams are becoming increasingly dangerous and convincing every day. Cybercriminals are looking for new ways to get your login credentials and also have full control over their computer and bank accounts.
For example, John was from King George, Virginia. He recently shared his shocking experience with us. His story is a powerful warning that things will escalate at a speed if you respond to suspicious emails.
Here is what happened to John in his own words: "I mistakenly responded to a false PayPal email notifying me of a laptop purchase. The message looked real, and I called the number listed. The person on the phone gave me a strange number to enter into my browser, which installed an app that took control of my PC. A warning popped up saying 'software updating – do not turn off PC,' and I could see my entire file The scammer accessed my bank account transferred money between accounts, he told me that my computer was running, and then kept him on the phone without telling anyone, I closed everything and contacted my bank.
John quickly thinks about turning off the computer and reminding his bank helps minimize losses. But not everyone is so lucky.
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Fake PayPal scam email (Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson)
This type of scam is called a remote access scam. It usually starts with a fake email that appears to come from a trusted company like PayPal. The message claimed there was a problem, such as unauthorized fees, and urged the victim to call the phone number or click on the link.
What is artificial intelligence (AI)?
Once the scammers contacted, they will instruct the victim to enter the code into the browser or install the program, claiming that the program will resolve the issue. In fact, this can give the scammers complete control of the victim’s computer.
Indoors, scammers often search for sensitive files, visit bank websites, steal login credentials, or install malware to maintain long-term access. Even if the scam is stopped immediately, hidden malware can allow the scammer to re-enter the system later.
Hackers at work (Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson)
Urgent PayPal Email Scam You Don't Need to Ignore
John's intimate call highlights several important lessons.
Fake emails are harder to spot than ever: The emails created by the scammers look almost the same as the real scammers at trusted companies like PayPal. They copy the logo, format and even fake customer support numbers. Always double-check the sender's email address and verify communication by directly accessing the official website or application rather than clicking a link in the email.
Remote access scams can be quickly upgraded: Once scammers gain control over their devices, they can steal sensitive data, move funds between accounts, and install hidden malware that stays behind even after the scammers disconnect. Severe damage usually takes only a few minutes to cause quick identification.
Psychological stress plays a big role: The liar relies on creating a sense of urgency and fear. By having you call and urge you to be confidential, they can isolate you and rush to make bad decisions. Recognizing when you are under pressure is the key to breaking the scammer’s control.
Quick action can make everything unique: By quickly disconnecting his computer and contacting his bank, John restricted the fraudsters' access to his account. Action within minutes rather than hours can stop further theft, prevent fraudulent transactions and protect your sensitive information from complete compromise.
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Warning on the home screen of the laptop (Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson)
Don't click on this link! How to discover and prevent phishing attacks in your inbox
Taking simple but powerful safety steps can protect you from your victims.
1. Never call the number listed in the suspicious email: Scammers often set up fake phone numbers that sound professional but are designed to manipulate you to hand over controls or information. Always find verified contact information through the company's official website or application, rather than the links/digits provided in the suspicious message.
2. Sceptical about unusual explanations: No legal company will ask you to install software or enter weird codes to protect your account. If anything unusual, trust your intuition and stop communicating immediately.
3. Install powerful antivirus software on all devices: Antivirus programs can detect suspicious downloads, block remote access attempts and help prevent hackers from taking over your system. Installing a powerful antivirus protection on all devices is the best way to protect yourself from installing malware and trying to access malicious links to private information. This protection can also remind you about phishing email and ransomware scams, ensuring your personal information and digital assets are secure. The choice of the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
4. Use Identity Theft Protection: These services monitor financial accounts, credit reports and online activity to show signs of fraud that alert you of suspicious transactions. Check out my tips and best options to protect yourself from identity theft.
5. If you suspect a scam, react immediately: Disconnect your device from the internet, contact your bank or credit card company immediately, and change your password, especially for banking and email accounts. Monitor your account closely for unauthorized activities and report scams to Federal Trade Commission and the companies that are being impersonated. Taking action quickly can prevent further access and limit the damage caused.
6. Using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA In addition to credentials being stolen, a critical security layer can be added, which can prevent unauthorized logins even if credentials are stolen. Enable MFA on all accounts, especially banks, email and payment platforms, to prevent scammers from bypassing stolen passwords.
7. Update your device and software now: Regularly updated Patch security flaws, scammers exploit installing malware or hijacking systems. Turn on automatic updates whenever possible to ensure you always protect you from newly discovered vulnerabilities.
8. Hire a password manager with a powerful, unique password: Avoid reuse of passwords and use complex password phrases to minimize credential attacks. Password Manager generates and stores hard-to-crack passwords, eliminating the risk of weak or duplicate credentials. Get more details about me Best Expert Review Password Manager in 2025.
9. Never share screen access or grant remote control: Scammers use screen sharing tools to steal passwords and manipulate transactions in real time. Legal technical support will never require screen access; if stressed, terminate the call immediately.
10. Invest in personal data deletion services: These services automation requires deletion of your personal information from data brokers and people search sites, reducing the publicly available details that scammers can exploit phishing or imitation. While there is no service that promises to remove all data from the Internet, it is great to have a deletion service if you want to keep monitoring and automatically delete information from hundreds of sites. View my preferred data deletion service here.
Protect yourself from tech support scams
John's story reminds people that online scams are rapidly evolving and becoming more aggressive. Stay suspicious, verify all suspicious messages and act quickly, and if something feels wrong, can make the difference between staying secure and losing sensitive information. Protect your device, trust your intuition and remember that being cautious is always more cautious than taking risks.
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