You Gave Remote Access to Your Computer — International Recovery Steps
TL;DR: Remote access can be handed over in many kinds of scams, not just fake tech support calls — investment scam 'demos,' romance scams asking for help with a 'business transfer,' and fake job onboarding all use the same tactic. The recovery sequence is the same regardless of how it started: disconnect, secure accounts from a clean device, and check what was actually exposed.
👉 See if your data's already leaked — free 30-second check →
Remote access tools like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or Chrome Remote Desktop get used across a wide range of scam types — not just the classic "your computer has a virus" tech support call. If you gave someone remote access to your device as part of any scam, this checklist applies regardless of the framing.
Disconnect immediately
- Turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the network cable on the affected device right now.
- Don't restart the computer until you've confirmed the remote access software isn't set to auto-reconnect.
- Uninstall the remote access tool once you're confident the session has fully ended.
From a separate, clean device
- Banking and payment apps. Check for unauthorized transactions and change passwords if there's any chance credentials were visible during the session.
- Email. Change your password — this is often the master key attackers use to reset everything else if compromised.
- Any accounts you had open during the session. If you were logged into anything (social media, cloud storage, work accounts) while the scammer had access, treat those as potentially exposed too.
Common scenarios where this happens
- Fake investment "demo": A scammer asks for remote access to "show you" how to use a trading platform, then uses that access to see or manipulate financial accounts — see Crypto Scam Recovery if this involved cryptocurrency.
- Romance scam "help with a transfer": A trusted online contact asks for help completing a transaction that requires remote access — see Romance Scam Recovery for the rest of that situation.
- Fake tech support: The most classic version — see Tech Support Scam Recovery for the version of this checklist specific to that scenario.
- Fake job "IT setup": A scam employer asks for remote access to "set up your work account" before onboarding is complete.
Cleaning the device
Run a full scan with updated antivirus/anti-malware software. If you're not confident the device is fully clean, or if it stores sensitive financial or work information, a factory reset is the safer route — reinstall from a trusted source rather than a backup taken during or after the compromised session. If you're rebuilding your accounts from scratch anyway, it's a good moment to move to a password manager rather than reused passwords — see Password Managers: Do You Actually Need One for why this matters even outside India.
Report it
Report to your country's national fraud body — FBI IC3 in the US, Action Fraud in the UK, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, or Scamwatch in Australia — describing exactly how the remote access was obtained, since the pattern (not just the outcome) helps investigators link related cases.
For the full recovery sequence, see the complete international recovery guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it matter how the remote access scam started?
The starting scenario (tech support, investment demo, romance scam, fake job) matters for understanding what other information may be at risk, but the core recovery sequence — disconnect, secure accounts from a clean device, clean or reset the machine — is the same regardless.
Is it safe to just close the remote access window myself?
Disconnecting from the internet entirely is safer than just closing the software window, since some remote tools can reconnect or continue running in the background.
What accounts are most at risk after a remote access scam?
Anything you were logged into during the session, plus your email (since it's often used to reset other account passwords) and any banking or payment apps open or saved on the device.
Do I need to factory reset my computer?
Not always, but if you're not fully confident a malware scan caught everything, or the device holds sensitive financial or work data, a factory reset is the more reliable option.
Should I report this even if no money was actually taken?
Yes — reporting the method used, even without a financial loss, helps national fraud bodies link the pattern to other related cases.
Curious what's already out there about you? Scan My Shadow checks your phone number and email across 1,500+ sources and sends you a clear report — no guesswork, just facts. Start your scan.
- Results within about 5 minutes
- Clear, plain-English report
- Delivered straight to your inbox
- No login or passwords required
- Scan data deleted after report is generated