Online Technical Support Companies – The Good, the Bad and How to Deal with Them

Computer problems are hardly a minute away from disturbing you at work, especially when you are trying to complete an important project. I was in the midst of completing my project report when my laptop started showing errors which I believe hinted at a possible virus infection. The most common and first thing to do was to take backup of my data, which I did. This incident, however instigated me to do a research on computer viruses upon which, I was introduced to this flourishing world of online technical support.

What do You Mean by Online technical Support?

Simply put, these agencies help you fix your computer without actually coming down to your house or office. They do so with the means of internet through an application which they call, Remote Desktop Viewers. If you have a virus issue or you need to install drivers or even a new operating system, the experts available will take control of your computer and will finish the task without bothering you one bit. The best part is that the problems are solved in the least possible time and the charges are quite reasonable. So, is it all good or is there a catch somewhere?

The Catch you should be Aware of

Well, as my study revealed, there are a lot of companies providing online technical support and fortunately, providing quality and authentic services as well. However, the problem lies with smaller and untraceable companies that simply make up cheap websites and literally rob unsuspecting customers of their money. The chances that you will lose money in a scam with them are quite high. You need to stay away from them as if you happen to be at the wrong end of a fraud case, you will be left bitter against all technical support companies. This will then prevent you from using the services of these support companies and in the end; you would suffer as you would not be able to enjoy the benefits that using their services provide you with.

My Personal Experience

Ever since I had that virus problem, I have purchased plans from two different companies, which, thankfully were no scam and the agents there were quite friendly. These two companies were PCCare247 and Geeksquad. But beware; there are a lot of companies with similar sounding names. This happens when a new company imitates the name of a reputed company with the intent of grabbing unsuspecting customers who originally intended to get the services of the bigger company. I saw this case with PCCare247, a reputed online tech support company which had competitors with names like pccare, pccaregroup, onlinepccare and others. I really have doubts about their authenticity.

Please note that I am not here to solicit the services of PCCare247 or Geeksquad. It is just that I found their services to be quite up to the mark. Scams are just around the corner these days and this is one company which I felt provided genuine services. There must be many others like them and I will mention them once I find them and test out their services.

Insist on PayPal Payment

Before you buy any services of tech support companies, it is best you confirm the mode of payment. Payment through PayPal is a strong indicator of a company’s legitimacy as PayPal offers you the option of getting back your money and lodging a complaint against the guilty company. In case of many complaints, PayPal eventually refuses to provide money transaction services to the company against which the complaints were made. Make sure that you pay only though PayPal. If a technical service support company insists on other mode of payment, there is a huge chance that they are involved in dishonest practices.

Write Reviews and Complaints

In case you have ever been scammed by an online technical support company, make sure you warn fellow internet users about them. This can be done by writing review about your company on various available forums and complaint websites. There are various websites like Ripoffreports.com and others which will post your complaint and thereby warn other readers of the dishonest company. Do it the other way as well. If you like the services of a company, write a good review about them so that other people can utilize their services.