Is Remote Support Safe? What You Need to Know

How legitimate remote support works

When you contact a reputable technician for remote support, the process is straightforward. You contact them first — by phone, email, or their website. They'll give you a link to download a remote access tool (common ones include AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or similar). You open the software, read them a session code, and they can then see and control your screen.

Critically: you are in control the whole time. You can see everything they're doing. You can end the session instantly by closing the software. A legitimate technician will tell you upfront what they're doing and why.

What makes remote support safe

• You initiated the contact — you called or messaged them first
• Session-based access — each session uses a one-time code. Once the session ends, access is gone unless you create a new one
• You can see the screen — everything they do is visible to you in real time
• You can end it instantly — close the software and the connection is severed immediately
• No persistent access — a legitimate technician doesn't install software that lets them back in without your knowledge

How remote support scams work

Tech support scams follow a predictable pattern:

1. You receive an unsolicited call, email, or pop-up claiming your computer has a virus or has been hacked
2. The "technician" — claiming to be from Microsoft, Telstra, NBN, or another known company — tells you to install remote access software
3. Once connected, they show you fake error messages in Event Viewer or Command Prompt to make it look serious
4. They ask for payment — usually gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency — to "fix" the non-existent problem
5. They may also silently install persistent access software, steal saved passwords, or access banking sites while connected

The rule that will protect you

Never give remote access to anyone who contacts you first.

Microsoft does not call people. Telstra does not call people to tell them their internet has been hacked. The NBN Co does not proactively contact customers about viruses. No legitimate company does unsolicited remote support calls.

If you receive a call like this, hang up. If you see a pop-up with a phone number telling you to call immediately — don't. Close the browser (force-close it if needed using Task Manager) and ignore it.

Legitimate remote support we offer

We offer remote support for software problems, virus removal, slow PC diagnosis, and general troubleshooting. The process is:

1. You contact us by phone or via our website
2. We confirm the job and quote a price upfront
3. We send you a link to a reputable remote access tool
4. You read us the session code — we connect and you can watch everything
5. Once the job is done, the session ends and access is gone

We will never ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. We accept card and bank transfer with an invoice.

After a remote session — what to check

After any remote session (including legitimate ones), it's good practice to:

• Check your startup programs for anything unfamiliar
• Verify no new remote access software was left installed
• Change your passwords if any were visible during the session

If you're not sure whether a remote session was legitimate — or if you gave access to someone and you're now worried — bring your computer in. We can check for persistent access software and clean it if needed.