Inside the World of Antivirus Telemarketing
You’ve seen or heard of this message:“Your PC may be infected!”
PCWorld provides some background.
The agents are instructed to stick to a 13-page script. They ask callers whether they have an antivirus program installed. If they do, Zifka said, callers are usually told that whatever they’re using isn’t a “full-time real spectrum virus protection program.”
But the agents have a solution: callers can purchase an antivirus program.
EZ Tech Support [the company used in PCWorld’s story] sells a perpetual license for the program for $300. Agents also tell callers they can perform a one-time fix on their computers for them, which starts at $250. Callers can haggle for lower prices.
Those dialing in are typically in their late 30s or older. “A lot of mothers would call in and say, ‘I’m sure it’s something my son did on my computer. This has happened before’,” Zifka said. “Older gentlemen—seniors specifically—that was the most unfortunate part.”
Within 20 minutes, some callers spent up to $600 to “fix” their computers. “I was blown away by this,” he said.
Source: pcworld.com