Jan 12, 2026
A retired lawyer thought he was calling Microsoft for tech support. But the phone number he found on Google didn’t connect him with Microsoft. Instead, the person who picked up the phone, “Alex,” and said he could help him fix his tablet, was actually a fraudster.
David Welles, 87, followed Alex’s instructions and downloaded remote access software onto his smartphone and laptop, according to The New York Times (1).
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“A big mistake,” Welles told the publication in a story published Dec. 12. “All of a sudden, on the laptop, I could see it going blank, and little lights flashing around.”
Citing text messages and other records, The Times reports Welles spent almost five hours on the phone with Alex while trying to fix his problems. Meanwhile, Alex was rooting around in his computer for usernames and passwords — managing to access Welles’s checking account at Citibank and make a wire transfer of $85,000.
By the time Welles figured out what was going on, it was too late. And despite reporting the transaction as fraudulent, The Times says Citibank refused to reimburse Welles because the transfer was made using his online credentials. The bank declined to comment on the specifics of the case, according to the publication.
Here’s how tech support scams work — and why consumers searching for support numbers online are vulnerable.
The staggering cost of internet scams
Losses from reported internet crime exceeded $16 billion in 2024 — a 33% increase in losses from 2023 — according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Those over the age of 60 were hit hardest, losing $4.8 billion while submitting the most complaints.
Fake tech-support scams are on the rise, exploiting the fact that many major companies don’t offer easily accessible phone support. In 2024, about 36,000 complaints were filed to the IC3 about tech support scams. Of those, 16,777 were filed by those 60 or older.
In terms of dollars, those complaints led to a staggering $1,464,755,976 in losses (of that, $982,440,006 were losses for those 60 and older).
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But the number of incidents and amount lost could be much higher due to unreported fraud.
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How tech support scams work
There are a few different types of tech support scams, but they work in a similar way. In some cases, a pop-up will appear on your screen, telling you there’s a virus or security issue with your computer. The pop-up may have a phone number to call for “support.” Or, you might receive a phone call or text from a supposed call center agent telling you there’s a problem.
In other cases, scammers set up legitimate-looking websites with a fake customer support phone number that shows up in online search results or display ads — which is how Welles thought he was speaking with a Microsoft rep.
Regardless of the approach, once they’ve got you on the phone, the scammers may ask for remote access to your computer so they can diagnose the issue. They might claim to have found malware and that they’ll remove it for a fee, which may involve asking you to pay with a wire transfer, payment app or even cryptocurrency.
They might even install malware or ransomware on your computer, allowing them to steal data or extort money. In Welles’s case, not only were they able to access his passwords, but they were able to transfer money out of his bank account while talking to him on the phone.
This type of scam is particularly sneaky, because if the crooks gain access to your bank account, they can make transactions from within the account that appear legitimate, so it doesn’t raise any red flags with financial institutions (although an $85,000 transfer should probably be a red flag).
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It’s difficult to prove transactions that occur from within an account are fraudulent, leaving consumers with little to no recourse. In Welles’ case, The Times reports Citibank informed him by letter, nine days after the incident and his initial call to the bank, that “the transfer was made using your Citibank online credentials and were initiated using their registered device ID,” so as a result they were “unable” to honor his claim.
How to protect yourself
There are still a few things you can do to protect yourself from online scammers. Remember that legitimate tech companies would never call, email or text you about a computer issue. Don’t trust customer-service numbers from Google search results or ads. And never click on any links or pop-ups claiming to be from that company.
“These scammers often get a victim on the phone and send them a link to download malicious software on their computer. Once that scammer is in your computer, they have access to all of your personal information and files and can potentially drain your bank accounts, too,” according to the FBI.
Instead, verify support channels directly on the company’s official website. In Welles’s case, the scammers called back at one point claiming to be from his bank. Be mindful that scammers can spoof and fool a phone’s caller ID. If you’re suspicious about receiving a phone call from “your bank,” hang up and call the bank yourself.
If you’re the victim of a scam, you can report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Contact your bank immediately, freeze accounts if necessary and change all passwords to your accounts (if the scammer had remote access to your computer or phone).
But, as the FBI points out: “Expect to be contacted again. Scammers often share victim information.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
The New York Times (1)
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Vawn Himmelsbach is a veteran journalist who has been covering tech, business, finance and travel for the past three decades. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Metro News, Canadian Geographic, Zoomer, CAA Magazine, Travelweek, Explore Magazine, Flare and Consumer Reports, to name a few.
