Criminals try to extort money from Internet users by posing as technical support. Microsoft has just published a report showing a drop in the number of Internet users exposed to scams but an increase in the number of victims.
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[EN VIDÉO] How does the Internet work? A little, a lot, daily… More and more of us are benefiting from Internet access and we are spending more and more time there. But do we know how it works, basically? It is thanks to the Internet that you can enjoy this episode of Kézako, in which Unisciel and the University of Lille 1 explain to us how the Internet works.
Scams at faux support technique are a real scourge, with unscrupulous individuals contacting Internet users claiming that their computer has a problem. They then invite them to download bogus tools and pay for the intervention. Microsoft just published a report on this scam which reveals that three in five Internet users in the world have been exposed to it during the past year. The good news is that this figure is down slightly, 5% less than in 2018. However, the number of victims is on the rise.
Microsoft details four vectors used by crooks: calls and unwanted emails, pop-up ads and redirects to bogus sites. In total, 16% of Internet users have gone to the end of the process, with nearly half losing up to several hundred dollars, going from 6 to 7% of Internet users since 2018. In France, the figures are a little lower, with 54% of Internet users exposed to scams, and 5% who have lostsilver, compared to 4% in 2018.
A higher number of victims among young men
Contrary to popular belief, it is not the oldest who are most at risk of being cheated. Young people are much more exposed to it, with 67% of 18-23 year olds and 64% of 24-37 year olds having experienced one of the four types. scams. They are also more likely to pay scammers, with 11% of 18-23 year olds and 12% of 24-37 year olds reporting losing money. This figure even rises to 16% if only men in the 24 to 37 age bracket are taken into account. However, the good news is that 77% of victims managed to get at least some of their money back, up from 67% in 2018.
This report shows that it is more than ever necessary to be vigilant and that familiarity with new technologies does not offer protection against scams, quite the contrary. It is important to always verify the identity of your interlocutor before installing software, communicating sensitive information or paying for any intervention or subscription.
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