In the past two weeks, we’ve had over a dozen people write us about phone calls they’d gotten from Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, etc. where someone told them their computers were:
1. Spreading malware
2. Infected with malware
3. Had been hacked
4. Had been comprised by viruses and/or Trojans
Folks…friends… people… listen to us. NO ONE and NO legitimate company is going to call you to tell you your computer is infected. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.
If anyone calls you and tells you that your computer is infected — HANG UP. If you want to go through the hassle of reporting it to the police — that’s up to you — but our job is to protect you. Do not talk to these people. NEVER. Especially do not let them “connect to your computer” to implement fixes. They’ll implement a backdoor on your computer so their criminal group can access your PC — or (and more likely) they’ll charge you $129 or more to “repair” the infection you never had to begin with. Plus they’ll ask you to pay by credit card — which opens a whole other set of worries.
We’ve heard from over a dozen subscribers in the last two weeks who’ve had this happen to them. A few of them fell for it and actually allowed someone they didn’t know, to access their computers remotely to know Heaven knows what to their computers. This is a fact. We’ve worked on computers which have been compromised this way.
And one other thing. If you get call from someone who claims to be from, let’s say, Yahoo Tech Support, and you think you’re going to be wise and look up the number and call them back — you might get scammed anyway. You might see something like http://yahootechsupport.gonnascamyou.com/ and see a list of “Yahoo Support” numbers But the domain name is only what shows right before the .com/.net/.org etc. The first part of the URL can be a sub domain –and any domain owner can make a sub domain. See http://halloween.thundercloud.net/ . It’s still Thundercloud.net — no matter what it says before thundercloud.net.
Be careful. And remember NO ONE and NO LEGITIMATE company is going to call you to warn you that your computer is infected with anything. No legitimate company is going to call you and tell you that your computer is spreading spam or malware, not even if your computer is infected – not even if it is spreading spam. Not even if it is spreading malware or viruses.
Please be careful. If anyone calls you to tell you that you have a problem with your PC…Hang up. Do not talk to them, and above all do not allow anyone who calls you unsolicited to connect to your PC remotely. NEVER.
Use your common sense. Be wary. Be careful. But never panic. Panic will only make things worse.
I got two phone calls (in Canada) this week telling me that my Windows 7 can be upgraded to Windows 8 at no cost… All I have to do is to allow them to access my laptop to do so! I politely put the phone down. It is not the first time! it seems once they have your name and phone number, they never give up! Beware friends not to be caught up!
I am sure a timely warning for many…Thanks for putting it into print about the telephone scam re your computer.This has been going on in Austrlia for at least two years. Even if you tell them you haven’t a computer they will argue with you. I now take the phone off the hook and don’t say anything, just silence.They soon hang up. They have been known to get abusive and harass people at all odd hours if there is much of an argument.
Regards to you both
Juel
I actually received one of these about a month ago for my boss, an attorney. The man, who sounded as if he was calling from India, asked to speak to my boss by name. He claimed he was calling from Microsoft and said that my boss’ computer was sending out viruses. I asked ‘which computer – the one at work or the one at home?’ He said ‘the one at home’. My boss doesn’t use a computer at the office and I’m very well aware that the one at his home is LOADED with malware and it is not in use. I told him that I would have someone local check it out and the guy hung up lol. I’m just thankful that the call came to the office and not to his home because he is about as computer literate as my cat and he might have fallen for the trap.
I have received several of these calls, all from different so called companies, by a foreign sounding man.
I’ve wound up hanging up on each of them after I assured them there was absolutely nothing wrong with my computer.
The last one just made me mad as doon as he started talking, so the first words out of my mouth were “You are full of shit!” and hung up on him. Haven’t heard from one since, but if I do, I’m sure I’ll d the same thing over again. Thanks for all you do, and for letting me rant!
I received one of these calls today by a foreign speaking man, saying he was from Microsoft. I told him it was a scam and hung up. Thanks for the warning so I knew what to do. Love you guys !
I felt obligated to post because I got a call like that, too. This guy Derrick told me Microsoft detected a virus on my computer and he called to help. Of course, I knew it was a scam. How come? I got a mac.
I reported the guy to Callercenter.com.
We got two of these calls on the same day. Hubby just hung up on them but I confronted the guy as being a scammer and he of course denied it. Then before he hung up he said, “you’re right I am a scammer and I have all your passwords and bank account numbers and I am going to wipe you out.” Of course I knew that wasn’t possible but it infuriated me that he would say that. What if someone who isn’t knowledgeable about computers got that call?
I called the local law enforcement but it was a foreign phone number so there is probably nothing anyone can do about it except pass the word. I’m going to post a link to this article on my facebook page.