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December 20, 2011 11:12 AM Subscribe
Should my Mom let a tech support guy access her computer remotely?
She purchased Photo Studio Expression but it is not permitting her to print photos. She's running Windows 7.
She filled out the technical support request form on the website (got the URL off the box). She has been emailing back and forth with this tech support guy. He talked her through uninstalling it (there were some issues, it wasn't straightforward) and not she isn't able to install it. He wants her to let him remote access her machine (from the email: "Click on the link below so that I can gain access. https://broker.gotoassist.com/h/ind%2dsoft?Question=DR603-6562")
Is this safe to do? She asked me, and I guess I am not sure. She certainly contacted him, or at least the company, so this isn't screaming SCAM SCAM SCAM or anything, but I've never used tech support for a software product except at work, so I do not know what is typical.
She purchased Photo Studio Expression but it is not permitting her to print photos. She's running Windows 7.
She filled out the technical support request form on the website (got the URL off the box). She has been emailing back and forth with this tech support guy. He talked her through uninstalling it (there were some issues, it wasn't straightforward) and not she isn't able to install it. He wants her to let him remote access her machine (from the email: "Click on the link below so that I can gain access. https://broker.gotoassist.com/h/ind%2dsoft?Question=DR603-6562")
Is this safe to do? She asked me, and I guess I am not sure. She certainly contacted him, or at least the company, so this isn't screaming SCAM SCAM SCAM or anything, but I've never used tech support for a software product except at work, so I do not know what is typical.
Best answer: Yes, this is how support generally works.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:23 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by Lyn Never at 11:23 AM on December 20, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks internet, that's good enough for me!
posted by teragram at 11:24 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by teragram at 11:24 AM on December 20, 2011
This could be a scam if she were not initiating the contact. There is a scam going around where the caller says they are calling from Dell or Microsoft because the computer is reporting viruses. Make sure your mom understands that this kind of support is OK because she called them, but she should not assume it is OK if someone she doesn't know calls her.
posted by rsclark at 11:38 AM on December 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by rsclark at 11:38 AM on December 20, 2011 [3 favorites]
Oops, by "this kind of support", I mean contacting a company for support.
posted by rsclark at 11:39 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by rsclark at 11:39 AM on December 20, 2011
It's safe. But seconding rsclark. My mother had several unprompted calls from someone claiming that they were from Microsoft and that she needed to install some 'antivirus' software. She just played dumb and called me, which was lucky. But when you've initiated the support request yourself, this is how they generally fix things.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 11:44 AM on December 20, 2011
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 11:44 AM on December 20, 2011
I have let them do this before for a couple of issues - different software though. The one thing I noticed was that all of the support people really do not want to get into your business. Basically, they want to get in, fix the issue and get out. So your scam issue is probably not one.
A couple of other tangentially related things...
-- Plan to be part of the process. Not so much in that you will be fixing the problem, but to be available to help the tech should there be a need for a password or to locate a specific file. It may be really boring for the end user, but those few times where you have to click something locally can really speed up the process. And it requires no special training either.
-- Keep Notepad or something like that open and ready to go. You may not be able to talk via phone while the session is ongoing, but there is always a need to communicate about certain aspects of the repair. Using Notepad as a common scratch wall helps a lot.
-- If it is a dual screen setup, realize the tech will only see one screen when logged in. It helps if the app in question displays in the screen the tech will see.
posted by lampshade at 12:03 PM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
A couple of other tangentially related things...
-- Plan to be part of the process. Not so much in that you will be fixing the problem, but to be available to help the tech should there be a need for a password or to locate a specific file. It may be really boring for the end user, but those few times where you have to click something locally can really speed up the process. And it requires no special training either.
-- Keep Notepad or something like that open and ready to go. You may not be able to talk via phone while the session is ongoing, but there is always a need to communicate about certain aspects of the repair. Using Notepad as a common scratch wall helps a lot.
-- If it is a dual screen setup, realize the tech will only see one screen when logged in. It helps if the app in question displays in the screen the tech will see.
posted by lampshade at 12:03 PM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the additional points about explaining WHY this is safe, not that it is safe in general. Funny to be explaining about good and bad strangers and all that...
lampshade, I won't physically be there. I will pass the Notepad idea along to Mom, however, and will suggest that she be present.
posted by teragram at 12:21 PM on December 20, 2011
lampshade, I won't physically be there. I will pass the Notepad idea along to Mom, however, and will suggest that she be present.
posted by teragram at 12:21 PM on December 20, 2011
This is probably obvious, but close out everything that isn't the program in question, especially, email...
posted by empath at 12:26 PM on December 20, 2011
posted by empath at 12:26 PM on December 20, 2011
I use this software in my technical support job about every other day. Just make sure that she's closed out of everything that isn't important to the issue at hand. I can't tell you how many people check their Facebook or read email while I'm trying to access their computer, even after I've explained that I can see everything on their screen.
posted by Senator Howell Tankerbell at 3:36 PM on December 20, 2011
posted by Senator Howell Tankerbell at 3:36 PM on December 20, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
He'll have access to her computer for the duration of the support session, and that's it. She'll be able to follow along, and will see everything that he's doing.
Although there are various ways for the guy to do something evil, I don't think that's particularly likely, and she can disconnect the support tech's connection at any point.
posted by schmod at 11:19 AM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]