Protect Your Business From Support Call Scams

The Support Call Scam

If you get a call claiming to be from Microsoft Teams support, pause before taking any action.

Scammers have a new tactic: pretending to be help desk staff to gain control of employees’ devices. This scheme is often part of a larger ransomware operation, where attackers lock your business data and demand a significant payment for its release.

Recently, a notorious cybercrime group has taken this approach to a whole new level.

How It Works

First, they overwhelm an employee’s inbox with relentless spam, rendering it nearly unusable. Then, they follow up with a phone call, posing as IT support and offering to “resolve” the issue.

During the call, they may instruct the employee to install remote desktop tools like AnyDesk or use built-in software such as Windows Quick Assist. Once they gain access, the attackers navigate your network, steal sensitive information, and deploy ransomware to lock your systems.

But they’re not just relying on phone calls anymore. These scammers have also started creating fake Microsoft Teams accounts to impersonate IT staff.

Using usernames like “Help Desk” and fake tenant domains such as “securityadminhelper.onmicrosoft.com,” they send direct messages to employees. Their goal? Convincing someone to grant them access under the guise of solving a problem.

The consequences of a ransomware attack can be devastating. Beyond losing access to your data, your business could face operational downtime, disruptions in customer service, and even leaks of confidential information. The financial and reputational fallout is immense, and recovery can be long and costly.

How To Protect Your Business

• Educate your team about these scams, and encourage scepticism toward unsolicited calls or Teams messages.
  
  
• Ensure employees confirm requests for software installations or device access with your genuine IT department.
  
  
• Secure your Microsoft Teams setup by restricting external chats to trusted domains and enabling chat logging for traceability.

Need help fortifying your Microsoft Teams environment? We’re here to assist. Contact us today to strengthen your defences and keep your business safe.