Fake internet provider call says it needs to test your internet speed, then has you install UltraViewer

A fake internet company caller says they're upgrading your area, has you install UltraViewer, then asks you to open online banking.

By the Xcelcor Guardian team · Reported November 12, 2026

Is it a scam?

Yes, it's a scam. Your internet provider doesn't need to control your computer to check your speed, and it won't ask you to open online banking.

Type

Phone scam

First reported

November 6, 2026

Status

Still active

Who it targets

Home internet customers with a computer they bank on; reported by Toronto police in November 2026

Tools it uses

UltraViewer, Telecom company (impersonated, not named

If someone called saying they're from your internet or phone company, that they're upgrading service in your area and need to get into your computer to test your internet speed, it's a scam. Hang up. Don't install anything, and don't log in to your bank while they're on the line.

Toronto police warned about this call on November 6, 2026, after officers stopped a fraud in progress. They said the person stood to lose about $2.9 million. No money was moved because officers got there in time.

What does the call sound like?

The caller says he works for a major telecommunications company. Police didn't name which one. According to police, he said the company was "improving services in the neighbourhood" and needed access to the computer to "assess internet speed". It sounds routine, and that's the point.

Your provider can check your line from its end. It doesn't need to control your computer to do it.

How the scam plays out

Police described these steps:

1. The caller has you install UltraViewer, a real program that lets someone see and control your computer from far away.
2. Once connected, he says the computer has lots of problems and viruses, and offers to remove them.
3. He then asks you to open your online banking, saying it's to check that no money has been taken without your permission.

In the Toronto case the victim was also on a video call with the scammers. When officers arrived, the victim was signing in to online banking. The scammers hung up when police tried to speak to them, but officers could see signs that someone was still controlling the computer.

The banking step is where the money goes. A stranger who controls your screen while you're signed in to your bank can see your accounts and try to move money.

They called but I hung up

You did the right thing. If you're worried about your service, call your provider using the number on your bill or on its official website, not a number the caller gave you. Caller ID can be faked, so a familiar company name on the screen proves nothing.

I installed UltraViewer or opened my bank. What now?

You don't need to be sure it was a scam. Act now:

• Hang up and disconnect the computer from the internet (unplug the cable or turn off Wi-Fi).
• Call your bank from another phone, using the number on the back of your card, and tell them someone may have had remote access while you were signed in.
• Change your email and banking passwords from a different device.
• Uninstall UltraViewer and anything else they had you install (Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps on Windows 11, or "Apps & features" on Windows 10).
• Have the computer checked by a repair shop you trust before you bank on it again. Toronto police gave the same advice.

Our two-minute checklist walks through each step, and our guide on what to do after a remote access scam covers the days after. In Canada, report it to your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. In the US, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.

How to spot it next time

• Your internet company won't call out of the blue and ask to control your computer.
• Never install a remote control program like UltraViewer, AnyDesk or TeamViewer because an unexpected caller asked you to. Our guide to remote access scams explains why.
• Never open online banking while someone else can see or control your screen.
• A video call doesn't prove who someone is.
• You don't need to be certain it's a scam to hang up. Call the company back on a number you looked up yourself.

If you or a parent could get a call like this, Xcelcor Guardian adds a pause on a Windows 11 PC. It holds new remote connections from tools like AnyDesk, TeamViewer and Quick Assist until the account holder approves them by email or on xcelcor.com. It doesn't stop the call itself.

Last updated November 12, 2026