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Computer telephone scam revealed - Don't get caught ..
As an IT consultant I was intrigued by a phone call I received the other day, allegedly from Microsoft.
They wanted to help me fix a very serious security issue on my computer.
My computer had apparently contacted them about it ....
My Computer had a virus and it had contacted Microsoft, they told me.
The person stressed that this infection was a serious breach of security and asked me if I did banking on my computer....
The script they were reading from was deliberately confusing and kept mentioning Microsoft and was very insistent, ignoring all my comments and repeating the seriousness of the issue. Can you please go to your computer they told me in no uncertain terms as this needed to be corrected.
Although I knew none of what I was hearing was true, I was curious and decided to play along for a while.
They told me to go onto a quite professional looking website, full of the Microsoft and McAfee logos, assuring me that it was perfectly safe and that all I needed to do was to click on the "Let us fix your computer" icon. At this point I decided not to continue and hung up.
Unfortunately, a few days later I found out what happens if you do continue, as a new customer called me to fix a problem with their computer and had received a similar phone call a few days earlier.
Unlike me they had continued with the "Fix my Computer" installation and parted with £85.
As the call coincided with having a problem with their computer they decided to give the caller a go, but needless to say, they were unable to fix their problem.
I have recently heard of people paying £200 for this "Fix" and "support" for a year but never receiving anything..
There are a few morals from this story that we all need to think about.
- Be extremely cautious over cold calls. Don't believe all you hear.
- A virus would never tell Microsoft anyway.
- When someone starts telling you repeatedly to do something, it's surprisingly easy to feel an obligation to do what they tell you, especially if you are not confident and they sound like they know more than you. Your computer may have also been coincidentally slow recently. If you are nervous or unsure, hang up. If they immediately call back, ignore it - they will move on to the next person.
- Never ever allow anyone you don't know to "take control" of your PC or Laptop. Once they have access they can do anything to your computer. Would you invite a stranger into your house and then go out ?
- They ask you to pay by Paypal, so you don't have to reveal your bank account details to them. Sure, that's better, but you are unlikely to get your money back as Paypal only have special refund arrangements with Ebay users.
- If you are at all concerned with the security or speed of your computer, trust someone who knows what they are doing and get them to check over your system.
Unfortunately, prosecuting or stopping this sort of scam is extremely difficult as usually the 020 number is an internet based number originating from half way round the world and as the scam relates to a computer service and not a telephone service OFCOM cannot do anything.
Your best defence is NEVER let anyone you do not know have remote access to your computer. Ever.
H Humphrey
Local Company Winchmore Computing Systems do a Computer MOT for £40+VAT, which covers a Hardware, Software and security check for up to 1 hour onsite. Any additional work onsite is charged on top of this fee. Contact Winchmore Computing Systems - click here.
