“Hello, I am calling from Microsoft regarding some problems we’ve detected with your computer. There are a number of viruses, worms and malware which have infected your system. We need to access your computer to remove the infected files.”
Or…
“I am contacting you because you use the Windows operating system, and we have detected some serious errors on your computer. If you will allow us to access your computer, we can show you the errors which need to be removed.”
Sounds serious, and who wouldn’t want to remove such nasty beasties from their computer? Problem is, the caller is not an employee of Microsoft, and is not able to detect any security threat to your system. Microsoft does not track your computer use, nor do they make ‘courtesy calls’ to let you know when there is a security threat to your system.
If you allow these individuals access your computer, they might show you a list of infected files, or errors on your system, which need removal. The next step in the ‘scam’ is to ask for your credit card information in order for them to install a program to remove any threats to your computer. Sometimes it is a flat-fee, other times it will be a monthly charge for ongoing services.
In the best case scenario, these so-called professionals will install some piece of innocuous software on your system which really does not work but will not do any harm.
In the most malicious cases, if you refuse to pay for any services because you have realized this may be a scam, the files on your computer can be destroyed by these criminals. No kidding, this kind of thing has happened, and if you do not have a good backup of the files on your computer, there will be no getting them back. Documents, gone. Photos, gone. Emails and contacts, gone.
Malicious phone calls are on the rise, with end users caught off-guard by the official tone of the caller. In most cases, the individuals will identify themselves as calling from Microsoft, or Windows. If you are on the receiving end of one of these phone calls, hang up immediately; do not give the caller any personal information; do not allow the caller to access your computer remotely.
Ed Schaefer is the proprietor of Better Bytes, a computer consulting service. He may be contacted at 455-9269, or at eds@better-bytes.com.