On this April Fools Day, we want to bring awareness to the many scams that are rampant in the IT services industry. Unfortunately there are many dishonest people out there that are always on the lookout for opportunities to rip you off.

Search engines and pop up ads are one of the most popular methods bogus companies use to lure unassuming victims. When they have you hooked, they may either have you download software which can be malware or some may require you to contact them to proceed further to resolve your issue. A common ploy is to request remote access to your computer and proceed to diagnose nonexistent problems and charge you to “fix” them. They also now have access to your personal files. This means not only is your time and money wasted, your private information may be extracted and malware installed. You can end up in worse shape than you started.

Some individuals may call, claiming to be with a well known technology company you work with, pretending there are issues with your computer and request you or your company’s private information as well as remote access.

On-site technicians have their own set of tricks up their sleeves. Technicians may add fees including travel, false parts used on the job and purposely extend work hours well beyond what is necessary to complete work. They will also try to sell unnecessary equipment, bogus security products or technical support services.

With a plethora of online scams, phone scams, and on-site tech service scams, you really need to be cautious and always research a business prior to making any educated decision.

Here are 5 tips to ensure you are hiring an honest, professional company that will provide IT services of the highest quality:

1. Check to see if the company is officially registered. Corporations, non-profit organizations, LLCs, or partnerships are required to register with the secretary of state where their headquarters is located.

2. If you receive a fishy phone call, make sure you recognize the number on your caller ID. If they say they are with a company you work with, but you were not expecting a call, were unaware of a technical issue and do not recognize the number, before proceeding any further, politely hang up and call the main office number to check in. You do not want to give away any private information to a fraudulent party.

3. Check the company’s website for errors, contradictions or unprofessionalism. Do they have a legitimate phone number and address? Offline contact information is key and if not provided, is a huge red flag. Check to see if there is content on their website. Do they have videos, webinars, white papers, blogs? Very little to no content and only stock photos is also a concern.

4. What is their BBB rating? Can the company provide you with current customer referrals? Are they on and active on LinkedIn and other social media platforms with pictures of staff members. 

5. If you need on-site IT field technician services, is the company easily accessible 24/7?  Ask them if there are any hidden fees? Ie: extended fees for travel, holiday hours, after hours, weekends. Do they have online service request system where you can access and download all ticket updates, documents, pictures and diagrams associated with a work order?

Scammers have been running rampant in the technology world for quite some time trying to take people for a fool.

Be prepared, be educated and also know the good guys are out there too!

If you have any questions or feedback with the information provided, do not hesitate to contact us here at Tech Service Today.