Microsoft Bing Ads Ban Third Party Online Technical Support Services Advertisements Due to Scams

For the past few years, Cybercriminals / scammers have been using fake "Microsoft Tech Support" online advertisement to reach their potential victims. Cybercriminals/scammers trick their victims into visiting fake online support websites and calling fake online support telephone numbers. Once scammers are able to reach their potential victims, they will attempt to trick them into installing software that will open back doors to their computers or allow the cybercriminals/scammers remote access to their computers. With remote access to their potential victims’ computers, cybercriminals/scammers will steal their victims’ personal information, financial information, online account credentials and other sensitive information that they will need in order to rip their victims off.

Advertisements
Microsoft Bing Ads Ban Third Party Online Technical Support Services Advertisements Due to Scams

To help protect online users from technical support scams, Microsoft has decided to ban or disallow third party online technical support services advertisements in their Bing Ads network. Microsoft said user safety is their priority, which is why they made the change or revision to their ad policy that will help provide a safer experience for their end users, especially the ones that are vulnerable to online scams and other fraudulent activities. Please see the Microsoft Bing Ads safety policy revision below.

The Microsoft Bing Ads Safety Policy Revision

User Safety is a core priority at Microsoft, which is why we are announcing a revision to our Bing Ads policy on the promotion of third party products and services:

Bing Ads disallows the promotion of third party online technical support services to consumers because of serious quality issues that can impact end user safety.

This policy change reflects Microsoft’s commitment to lead the industry in providing a safer experience for all of our end users, including populations most vulnerable to online scams and other fraud activities. Read more on our efforts to tackle online technical support scammers here.

We at Microsoft believe a safer online experience benefits our Advertisers and Users alike!

For more details on this global policy revision, please see our Misleading content policies page.

See an ad that you think violates Bing Ads policies? Report it!

Have you, a family member, or a friend ever received a suspicious cold-call from someone claiming to be ‘Microsoft Tech Support’, telling you that something is wrong with your computer? Tell us about it here

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

Bookmark articleSave

Was this article helpful?

Advertisements

Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 2)

To protect your privacy, please remove sensitive or identifiable information from your comments, questions, or reviews. We will use your IP address to display your approximate location to other users when you make a post. That location is not enough to find you.

Your post will be set as anonymous because you are not signed in. An anonymous post cannot be edited or deleted, therefore, review it carefully before posting. Sign-in.

September 22, 2016 at 9:42 PM by
Microsoft Bing Ads Ban Third Party Online Technical Support Services Advertisements Due to Scams
info

Received via email:

"Recd email stating they were MICROSOFT SECURITY alert and to call 8008681782. Man who answered had heavy accent. Hung up as I knew it was fake.

Recd call back immediately (same voice) from 8668637942 asking if I called w/computer problem. Said no...wrong #. He didn't want to hang up. I called MICROSOFT SECURITY & THEY SAID IT HAS A SCAMMER."

Delete

May 12, 2016 at 5:41 PM by
Microsoft Bing Ads Ban Third Party Online Technical Support Services Advertisements Due to Scams
an anonymous user from: Brandon, Minnesota, United States

Thank you Microsoft...I was scammed about a year ago; lost 239 dollars. My computer was later crashed by these scammers when I refused to allow them access to my bank account to deposit a "refund". They were terroristic and very threatening with repeated phone calls. I had my computer wiped clean and changed all my passwords and account numbers. It was a nightmare.

They represented themselves as Microsoft technicians and were initially very friendly and had all kinds of "credentials" to give me including phone numbers, employee identification numbers, supervisor names, etc. It was a terribly frightening thing to go through.

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

Advertisements

Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Microsoft Bing Ads Ban Third Party Online Technical Support Services Advertisements Due to Scams