Think Twice Before Answering That ‘Support Call’ – It Might Be a Ransomware Scam

If you receive a call claiming to be from Microsoft Teams support, think twice before following their instructions. Cybercriminals are using a new tactic, posing as “help desk” staff to deceive employees into giving them control over their devices.

The Rise of Ransomware Scams

This scam is part of a larger ransomware attack strategy. In such an attack, scammers lock you out of your business data and demand a hefty payment to restore access.

Recently, a notorious cybercrime group has escalated this scam. Their approach involves overwhelming an employee’s inbox with spam, rendering it unusable. Then they place a phone call, pretending to be IT support, and offer to “fix” the issue.

How the Scam Works

The scammers may ask employees to install remote desktop software like AnyDesk or use built-in tools such as Windows Quick Assist. With this access, they can infiltrate your network, steal sensitive data, and deploy ransomware on your systems.

These scams are not limited to phone calls. Scammers are also setting up fake Microsoft Teams accounts with usernames like “Help Desk” and using fraudulent Microsoft tenant domains like securityadminhelper.onmicrosoft.com. They send direct messages to employees, claiming they need access to their devices.

The Impact of Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks are highly disruptive. They can lock you out of your data, halt operations, and even result in the public leaking of confidential information. The financial and reputational costs of recovery can be enormous, including the ransom payment itself and dealing with long-term consequences such as legal issues and customer trust erosion.

How to Protect Your Business

Here are some steps to safeguard your business:

• Educate your team about this scam and encourage them to be cautious with unsolicited support calls or messages.
• Instruct employees to verify requests for software installation or device access with your actual IT department.
• Secure your Microsoft Teams setup by allowing external chats only from trusted domains and enabling chat logging.

Staying informed and vigilant is the key to preventing ransomware scams. By strengthening your defenses and educating your team, you can protect your business from these sophisticated attacks.

Need Help? Contact Us

If you’d like assistance securing your Microsoft Teams or overall IT setup, we’re here to help. Get in touch today.