Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the fight against remote support scams by offering more sophisticated and adaptable protection mechanisms such as the new scam detection functionality added to GoTo Resolve.

“As a pioneer in the remote support industry, it’s our responsibility to help protect businesses that use our technology as well as individuals who may interact with our solutions,” said Olga Lagunova, Chief Product and Technology Officer at GoTo. “We’ve done that with GoTo Resolve, which was built to prioritize secure remote support and management with a first-of-its-kind zero trust architecture.”

GoTo is fighting scammers with new functionality that protects mobile device users from financial fraud by monitoring and automatically terminating support sessions with suspected scams.

“The feature, included in all tiers of GoTo Resolve, adds another layer of security by analyzing support sessions on mobile devices in real-time to detect and alert users of any potentially fraudulent activity before sensitive information is shared,” says GoTo.

The Rise of Remote Support Scams

Remote support scams have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, posing a significant threat to consumers' financial security and privacy.

Here are some key statistics highlighting the alarming trend:

• In 2023, US consumers lost over $1.3 billion to remote support scams (including tech/customer support and government impersonation), according to FBI data.
  
  
• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported in March 2024 that scammers are using the names of real FTC employees to steal money from consumers.
  
  
• According to a cybersecurity report, 2023 saw an alarming increase in both frequency and financial impact of online fraud perpetrated by cybercriminals with a record 880,418 complaints with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion, a nearly 10 percent increase in complaints and 22 percent increase in losses compared to 2022.
  
  
• The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) noted that adults over 60 are disproportionately targeted, accounting for 40 percent of cases and 58 percent of losses (over $770 million lost).
  
  

“Impersonation scams defraud thousands of individuals each year. Two categories of fraud reported to IC3, Tech/Customer Support, and Government Impersonation, are responsible for over $1.3 billion in losses,” says IC3. “Call centers overwhelmingly target older adults, with devastating effects.”

How Remote Support Scams Work

Remote support scams typically follow a well-orchestrated pattern designed to exploit victims' trust and technical unfamiliarity.

Here's a more detailed explanation of how these scams usually unfold:

• Initial Contact: Scammers often initiate contact through unsolicited phone calls, pop-up messages, or emails. They may claim to be from well-known tech companies or internet service providers.
  
  
• Creating Urgency: The fraudster creates a sense of urgency by claiming the victim's device is infected with malware, at risk of a cyber-attack, or experiencing critical errors.
  
  
• Establishing Trust: To appear legitimate, scammers may use company logos, technical jargon, or even fake websites that mimic those of reputable tech support providers.
  
  
• Initiating Remote Access: The scammer convinces the victim to download and install remote access software, often from legitimate providers like TeamViewer or AnyDesk.
  
  
• Faking Problems: Once connected, the scammer may run fake scans or manipulate the command prompt to display alarming messages, further convincing the victim of a nonexistent problem.
  
  
• Extracting Payment or Information: The scammer then offers to "fix" the issue for a fee, often requesting payment via gift cards or wire transfers. Alternatively, they may search for sensitive information like financial data or login credentials while connected to the device.
  
  
• Potential Malware Installation: In some cases, scammers may install actual malware or backdoors to maintain access to the victim's device for future exploitation.
  
  
• Ongoing Exploitation: Some scammers maintain contact with victims, offering unnecessary "maintenance" services or repeatedly charging for imaginary issues.
  
  

The FTC explains: “Tech support scammers want you to believe you have a serious problem with your computer, like a virus. They want you to pay for tech support services you don't need, to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. They often ask you to pay by wiring money, putting money on a gift card, prepaid card, or cash reload card, or using cryptocurrency or a money transfer app because they know those types of payments can be hard to reverse.”

AI-Powered Customization: The Next Frontier in Scam Prevention

Cutting-edge artificial intelligence is ushering in a new era of defense against remote support scams, providing users with intelligent, adaptive, and highly personalized protection.

This innovative technology, highlighted by GoTo’s new scam-fighting functionality,  leverages advanced algorithms and machine learning to create a robust shield against even the most sophisticated fraudulent attempts.

Here's how AI is transforming the landscape of scam detection and prevention:

• Real-time Behavior Analysis: AI algorithms can analyze the behavior patterns of remote support sessions in real-time, identifying suspicious activities that may indicate a scam attempt.
  
  
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): AI-powered NLP can monitor conversations during support sessions, flagging potential scam indicators in the language used by the supposed support agent.
  
  
• Anomaly Detection: Machine learning models can establish baseline patterns for legitimate remote support sessions and quickly identify deviations that may signal fraudulent activity.
  
  
• Predictive Analytics: AI can use historical data and current trends to predict emerging scam tactics, allowing for proactive protection measures.
  
  
• Personalized Risk Assessment: AI can tailor its protection based on individual user behavior, device usage patterns, and vulnerability factors, providing customized safeguards.
  
  
• Automated Termination: When a high probability of scam activity is detected, AI can automatically terminate the remote support session and alert the user.
  
  
• Continuous Learning: AI systems can continuously update their detection models based on new scam reports and evolving tactics, ensuring up-to-date protection.
  
  
• Integration with Other Security Systems: AI-powered scam detection can work in conjunction with other security measures like antivirus software and firewalls for comprehensive protection.
  
  

 By leveraging these AI capabilities, the new scam detection system can offer mobile device users a powerful, adaptive defense against the ever-evolving threat of remote support scams.

GoTo Resolve: Says Scram to Scams with Custom-Trained AI

GoTo is hoping to protect its users and say “Scram!” to all those remote support scammers by using custom-trained AI.

“GoTo Resolve scam detection actively monitors key behaviors and phrases associated with these incidents. If one of these is detected, the solution takes the power away from scammers by automatically ending the session, alerting the end user, and making it easy to report the suspected fraud with one click,” explains GoTo.

The new feature has already successfully identified thousands of potential scams and cut abuse claims by over 81 percent.

In the coming months, GoTo plans to extend these protections to desktop connections.

“Our new AI-powered scam detection adds another powerful layer of protection, and we’ve already seen tremendous success since the initial rollout. This is just one of the many ways GoTo is dedicated to protecting both IT teams and their end users,” says GoTo’s Lagunova.

GoTo business communication products such as GoTo Resolve, GoTo Connect, and LogMeIn Rescue are part of ATSI’s business phone systems offerings.

For over 20 years, GoTo has been dedicated to robust security, including zero trust authentication, and powers more than 1 billion remote support sessions and 1 million customers with easy-to-use, built-for-IT solutions that save businesses time and money.