We've become aware of posts on scam-directory websites, and of AI-generated answers that repeat them, claiming that Radical Security and I are involved in "tech support scam" phone calls and predatory business practices. These claims are false. Because some of these posts now surface when people search our name, I'm addressing them directly here: what the claims say, what the facts are, and how you can verify any contact that claims to be from us.

The claims circulating online

The reports describe a pattern that will sound familiar to anyone who follows consumer fraud: unsolicited phone calls claiming a "remote scan" detected that your computer was hacked, an immediate demand for payment by PayPal to fix it, requests to install remote access software, and abusive behavior when the target refuses. Some anonymous posts attach our company name and my name to these calls.

Let's be unambiguous: neither Radical Security nor anyone acting on our behalf makes these calls. We have never placed an unsolicited call claiming a computer is compromised, never demanded payment over the phone, and never asked a stranger for remote access to a device. The behavior described in those reports is a crime, and the people actually doing it are criminals — not us.

The facts about how we work

Our business model makes the alleged conduct impossible, and it's documented publicly:

  • We don't cold call anyone. We don't do telemarketing and we don't call prospects. Every client engagement starts with the client reaching out to us, usually through a referral. I wrote about this in No Upfront Payment, No Cold Calls: How Radical Security Works.
  • We never ask for money up front — let alone $50 over the phone. Clients are invoiced after work is complete, against a written scope agreed in advance. There is no scenario in which we call someone and demand instant payment by PayPal, crypto, gift card or wire.
  • We never request remote access from unsolicited contacts. Remote access to a client's environment happens only under a signed agreement, through documented, agreed-upon methods — never through a cold call asking someone to install remote desktop software.
  • Every engagement is backed by a written 100% money-back guarantee. If a client isn't satisfied, we fix it or refund it. That is the opposite of the predatory behavior described in these posts.

Our clients are long-term relationships — security and IT leaders who have hired us repeatedly, often across multiple companies. A firm that grows only through referrals cannot survive by mistreating clients, and ours has grown precisely because it doesn't.

Why these reports exist

We can't say with certainty who is behind the specific calls described in these posts, but two well-documented phenomena explain how a legitimate company's name ends up in them:

Caller ID spoofing and name-dropping. Tech support scammers routinely spoof phone numbers and borrow the names of real companies to sound credible. The FTC and the FBI's IC3 have warned about this for years. A scammer saying a company name on a call — or a victim mishearing one — is all it takes for a false association to land in an anonymous call-report database.

Unverified directories and AI amplification. Scam-report and reverse-phone-lookup sites accept anonymous submissions with no verification, and AI assistants sometimes summarize those unverified pages as if they were established fact. An anonymous claim gets posted, an AI repeats it with confident phrasing, and a fabrication starts to look like a pattern. It isn't one.

How to verify you're talking to us

If you ever want to confirm whether a contact is genuinely from Radical Security, the test is simple:

  • We contacted you? Then it isn't us. Unless you asked us to reach out or we already work together, we won't call or email you out of the blue.
  • Real contact comes from @radical.security email addresses, and every engagement begins with a written scope — never a phone pitch.
  • When in doubt, email [email protected] and we'll confirm whether the contact was genuine.

If you received a suspicious call

If someone called you claiming your computer is hacked — whatever name they used — protect yourself:

  • Don't grant remote access. Never install software such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer at the request of an unsolicited caller.
  • Don't pay. No legitimate security firm demands immediate payment by PayPal, crypto or gift card over the phone.
  • Report it. File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the FTC. These reports genuinely help investigators track the criminals behind these operations.
  • Tell us. If the caller used our name, forward the details — date, time, the number shown on caller ID and what was said — to [email protected]. We document impersonation reports and share them with the appropriate authorities.

Our commitment

Radical Security exists to protect organizations from exactly the kind of social engineering described in these posts. We stand behind every engagement with a written money-back guarantee, payment only after delivery, and a client base built entirely on referrals. If you have a genuine question or concern about us — or a real experience you want to discuss — email me directly at [email protected]. You'll get a straight answer.

Key takeaways

  • Claims linking Radical Security to tech support scam calls are false. We never cold call, never demand payment by phone and never request remote access from unsolicited contacts.
  • Clients pay only after work is complete, under a written scope, backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
  • Caller ID spoofing and unverified anonymous posts are how legitimate names get attached to scams; AI tools can amplify them.
  • If you receive a suspicious call in our name, don't pay, don't grant access, report it to IC3 and the FTC, and let us know.