Category: Give us a call!

Scam Calls: Fake Virus or Support Calls, and Why They’re Dangerous.

Posted on by Crystal Beausejour
Image of a hooded figure on a black background with lines of computer code floating around them. Scam calls and why they're dangerous.
Scam callers can be dangerous to more just than your bank account.

These days, one seems to get more scam calls than real ones. Car warranty calls, health insurance calls, even fake creditors. It’s so frustrating. This is especially true when strangers call you about your computer. A reputable company will never call you out of the blue to warn you of an issue. Any cold caller who tells you that you need to pay them money, or worse, allow them access to your computer does not have your best interests in mind. It takes vigilance to protect yourself from scam calls.

Viruses and trojans are a concern for any internet connected PC. Most people with malware infections, however, find out by running a local virus scan. Unless you are paying someone to monitor your antivirus, no one will call you to warn you of an infection. If a stranger calls you about it, it’s most likely a scam call.

It’s not just your money at risk.

While most scammers who call to tell you your computer has been hacked are after money, some are even more insidious. Access to your computer can provide a dishonest person with more than the money you pay them. They can see all of your files, install malicious software, or even copy your passwords. A particularly sneaky scammer can do a lot of damage.

Think about the sorts of information you type in to your browser on a regular basis. Banking information. Names. Addresses. At tax time, your Social Security number. Although your computer is usually safe behind your router or firewall, allowing a scammer to access it lets them past all lines of defense.

Your antivirus software, firewall, home network and router all work together to protect you. They’re like the immune system protecting your information from attack. When you allow a stranger into your computer via a screen sharing or remote access program, it’s like stabbing a knife straight through all the layers of protection. It’s much easier to infect the computer from the inside, just like it’s much more likely for a cut to get infected than your skin.

What should you do if a scammer calls you? Contact us! We will be happy to help repair the damage to your computer. We’ll even evaluate your protection and help you be safer in the future. After 15 years in the repair business, we know a thing or two about how to keep you safe.

Looking for a Computer Repairman?

Posted on by Sam Trejo

The term ‘repairman’ is a bit old-fashioned. It calls to mind an image of a grungy looking man that comes to fix something broken.  Often, said ‘repairman’ isn’t very personable, and might smell less than desirable.  Sometimes, especially with computer issues, there isn’t anything actually ‘broken’,but a bit of training is needed. Given the number of scammers that take advantage of victims in their homes, a ‘computer repairman’ might charge too much. Some even make the situation worse by lying about their knowledge or ability to perform repairs.

If you are looking for a computer repairman, you may not get exactly what you hoped for.  In a world where it is easy to confuse the ability to use technology with the ability to understand it on a technical level, many unqualified repairmen offer to provide a number of services they cannot deliver.  In the worst of cases, those who are victimized find that they have little recourse — a large number of repairmen aren’t even licensed to do business in Tucson and surrounding areas.  Further, many lack insurance to protect against accidental damage, data loss, and injury while at an individual’s private property.  

Of course, the term ‘repairman’ also fails to consider the numerous women who work in the field of technology. Woman have always made a great many contributions to technology and related science.  This is another of the many reasons that the term is outdated at best.  We prefer to call the members of our team technicians or consultants. These terms encompass both their role and their level of technical expertise.

Make Sure You Are Protected

Our computer techs are insured throughout all aspects of each repair.  We insure our employees and contractors on the way to and from each visit and while on-site. In the even that equipment must come back to our office for further analysis, we insure the equipment in transit.  In the unfortunate event that one of our computer techs or contractors is injured during the course of their work, our company ensures that the property owner is protected.

Experience Makes a Difference

We have been in Tucson almost fifteen (15) years and we have assisted clients of many different walks of life. Several of our computer techs are also involved with small business tech consulting. Because of that, they are used to dealing with stringent security requirements in addition to complex technical setups. Our expertise covers an extensive array of specialties. We have knowledge about everything from custom computer building and repair to advanced network design. We’ve never met a problem we walked away from solving. Let our computer techs help you get the most from your wireless devices, setup your printers for maximum efficiency, and stay up-to-date with the latest changes in computing.

Your Privacy and Data are Important

Our computer techs are well versed in the importance of ensuring each client’s privacy and the protection of their data from loss. Each technician and consultant is prohibited from viewing or copying a client’s data to any other medium, except in the course of transferring data or troubleshooting an issue. Any exposure of private data is governed by a policy of minimum necessity. Our computer techs are trained to look at only the files and information necessary to address the issue at hand. If there is a risk that data could be lost, we err on the side of safety and ensure that we create backup copies of said data.

Never Call a Computer Repairman Again!

Let us show you the difference of working with experienced, professional computer techs in Tucson and throughout Southern Arizona. We are sure that your experience will be worth the call and we look forward to hearing from you! Questions? Concerns? Give us a call or submit a request via our contact form today!