What to do if you fall victim to scareware?

Scareware is a form of cyber threat designed to exploit fear and trick users into installing malicious software or paying for unnecessary services

Hyderabad: Recognising the signs of scareware and taking steps to protect yourself is essential to avoid these kinds of attacks.

Measures to be taken:

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Don’t pay for anything: If you’ve already paid for a scareware product, contact your bank or credit card company to report the fraudulent transaction and request a chargeback.

Run a full system scan: Use a reputable antivirus tool to scan your computer or scareware or other malware. Remove any malicious software that is detected.

Uninstall the scareware: If you’ve installed fake software, remove it from your system through your device’s application settings or control panel.

Change your passwords: If you entered any personal information while interacting with scareware, change your passwords and monitor your accounts for unusual activity.

Common tactics used by scareware:

Urgency: Scareware often uses alarmist language to pressure users into acting quickly without thinking. It may say things like, ‘Warning: Your computer is about to crash!’ or ‘Immediate action is required!’.

Threats: It may use frightening threats, such as ‘Your files are being stolen’ or ‘You’ve been hacked,’ to trick the user into downloading or purchasing something.

Fake system scans: The software might show a scan result with a high number of errors or problems, convincing the user that their system is compromised.

Deceptive branding: Scareware may mimic legitimate brands, using familiar logos, fonts, and design styles to appear like a trusted antivirus or system optimisation tool.

Common examples of scareware are fake antivirus software, fake system cleaners, tech support scams, fake malware detection tools etc.