Here we go again...the Microsoft tech-support scams, which are essentially dialing for dollars are on the rise again.and#160; It generally starts with a phone call from a person claiming to be with Microsoft that says that they've detected that your computer is infected.and#160; If you talk to them long enough, they'll tell you that they can prove to you that you have the problem they called about, if you'll just run a few tests yourself.and#160; They'll walk you through what will appear to be a diagnostic process and ask you if you see certain things showing up on your screen.and#160; These 'certain things' are of course built into all Windows computers, so they will always appear, but for those that are not technical, it can be convincing.and#160; If they can hook you on the bait, the next step is to walk you through the steps that will allow them remote access to your computer.and#160; This will not only increase your risk of contracting a malicious program, you'll be asked for a credit card number so they can properly clean up your computer.and#160; The reality is that Microsoft or any other legit service company would never just call you out of the blue to alert you that your computer is infected.and#160; The good news: avoiding this scam is really easy. Remote help for your computer is completely safe but only when YOU are the one initiating the request for help.and#160; So if you ever get any type of call that is offering to help you with your computer from out of the blue, you'll know what to do: Hang Up!and#160;