A tech support refund scam pretends you are owed money, then tricks you into believing the company accidentally sent too much. The goal is to make you send real money back for a refund that never happened.
Does this affect you?
Use this for calls, popups, or chats claiming you are due a refund for antivirus software, tech support, computer repair, subscriptions, or unused services on Windows or Mac.
Recognize the refund scam before it goes further
The scam depends on you trusting a screen the caller may be controlling.
- Hang up on unsolicited refund calls. If you might truly be owed money, contact the company using a number from its official website or your bill.
- Never install screen-sharing or remote-access software for someone who contacted you first.
- Never log in to online banking while a caller can see or control your screen. A legitimate refund does not require that.
- Watch for the fake typo or overpayment trick. The scammer may make it look like they sent too much money, sometimes by editing what appears on screen.
- Refuse requests to send money back by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, Zelle, or another payment app. Real refunds do not work that way.
- Question guilt and urgency. Claims that someone will be fired or you must fix the mistake today are pressure tactics.
What to do if you already let someone in or sent money
Disconnect first, then secure accounts from another device.
- Disconnect the computer from Wi-Fi or Ethernet immediately to end remote access.
- Uninstall the remote-access app, then restart the computer.
- Call your bank using the number on your card and explain that you may have been targeted by a refund scam. Ask for a review and account protection.
- Change your online banking password from a different device, and enable two-factor authentication if it is not already on.
- If you sent gift cards, a wire, crypto, or payment-app money, contact the issuer, wire service, exchange, or app immediately.
- Report the scam at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
More control
Do not trust numbers shown during remote control
A scammer with screen access can display fake pages, edited balances, or doctored screenshots. Seeing a deposit while they control the computer is not reliable proof.
Real refunds are passive
A real company sends a refund back to the original payment method or asks you to confirm simple account details through official channels. It does not require live online-banking access.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice – Tech Support Scams (2025)
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3 – Tech Support Fraud (2025)
- Microsoft – Protect Yourself From Tech Support Scams (2025)