Scam Calls
In this month’s HSC Newsletter, we would like to bring your attention to the very real and growing problem of Scam IT Support Telephone Calls. Please read on, if you find our advice and information useful or interesting please share it with your friends and family.
We feel the best way to protect people from such attacks is to teach them what to look out for.
You will find some helpful links at the bottom of the email should you need further advice and support concerning this type of scam.
Many of you may have seen or read in the news, stories of cold call fraud attacks, in which an unsuspecting person receives a telephone call out of the blue from someone purporting to be from Microsoft or an affiliate company. Callers claim to be from impressive-sounding yet ultimately fictitious Microsoft departments, some real examples used by scammers are: Microsoft Tech Support, Windows Helpdesk or Windows Technical Department Support Group.
Scammers are ready and armed, perhaps with some real address information or personal details of the person they are calling. This information could have been stolen or simply bought legally online. Either way, when used by the scammer in conjunction with cold reading techniques, scare tactics or other psychological tricks, the scammer will attempt to persuade the victim into trusting and following instructions. An attacker may suggest that a victim’s personal information or computer is in danger and that the purpose of the call is, in fact, to protect them from attack, or indeed that their computer has been infected with a virus and that they can help fix the problem. Whichever tactics the scammer employs their ultimate aim is to gain remote control of the victim’s computer.
Having gained the victim’s trust a scammer will walk them through a few simple steps to a website installing free remote login software, such as TeamViewer, Ammyy Admin or Log Me In. These tools are freely available for legitimate use and enable remote control of a computer over the internet. Once installed the scammer will ask for a few codes and ID numbers enabling the remote login. This is the point at which the danger for the victim becomes very real and the point which the scammer will try to get to as quickly as possible.
Once in control of a victim’s computer, it is, unfortunately, relatively easy and quick for a scammer to do some serious damage to a PC or lock the computer for the purposes of extorting money from the victim.
The Dangers
The following are a few actual examples of consequences and damage done by such attacks. Here at High Street Computers, we have helped multiple customers over the past year undo the damage caused, get the affected computer back up and running or try to move on from this type of attack.
Scam Support & Virus Removal:
System Password Lock: With a few commands it is possible for an attacker to create a new system password on a computer, that cannot be easily broken. In some circumstances, the fix may require the operating system to be reinstalled and the data restored. The scammer may demand a ransom to unlock the computer as without the password it will be unusable.
Ransomware Encryption: An attacker may download a very nasty virus onto a computer that will encrypt and lock all the user’s files, including documents and pictures. This is possibly the worst thing that can happen, as in many cases it will be impossible to unlock files without paying the ransom. Unfortunately, often the only solution is to restore files from backup, hoping that the backup disk was not also connected to the infected computer.
Advice
Our advice for someone who may have fallen victim to an attack is the following;
- Immediately shutdown the computer.
- If a scammer is in control and you cannot shutdown, unplug the computer or hold the power button until it turns off.
- Contact your bank.
- If you have given away card details or are concerned your accounts may be at-risk, immediately inform your bank that you may have been a victim of fraud or ID theft. The bank should have advice and a procedure on how to protect your cards and online accounts.
- Take your computer offline, scan for viruses, malware and remote login software.
- To do this you can unplug the network cable from the back of the tower, disabled wireless networking on a laptop either with a button or keyboard shortcut or disable the wireless adapter in windows. You can then try and remove any remote software you may have installed, reconnect to the internet just long enough to update your antivirus programme, disconnect again then perform a full virus scan of your computer.
If you are unsure of how to do this take your computer to a reputable repair company or shop such as ourselves High Street Computers or ask friends and family for advice on services in your area.
We realise this may all be a bit depressing and alarming, but unfortunately this kind of attack although rare does exist and can be very damaging to your digital life.
Finally to lighten the tone of this month’s email, check-out this video in which a Scammer is pranked by a tech savvy guy. In the video listen to a real audio recording between a Scammer claiming to be from “Microsoft Tech Support” watch as the prankster tests the scammers patients to the limit!
If you have been a victim of an online fraud or would like more information on the serious nature of this issue, follow the following link to the Police Action Fraud website. You can report a crime or find advice and support.
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