Phone scam exploding

I encounter a lot of computer problems as part of my normal day, but there is something going on recently that I thought was important to bring to more public attention. There is a scam going on that in a roundabout way involves computers. That’s how it came to my attention.

The scam starts as a phone call to your home. The person on the phone claims to be from Microsoft or another Internet company. They then inform you that they have somehow been able to detect that your computer is either sending out spam emails, or is infected in some way. According to the caller, the solution is to allow them to log into your computer remotely, install their special software and then fix the problem. Often, at this point, they ask for credit card information to process a small fee.

This entire transaction is a scam.

What happens after this varies each time but generally they claim to find bigger problems that can be solved only by purchasing their special service or a one-time larger fee. None of these options are real. The systems that I have seen after these encounters are generally infected with viruses and/or spyware. It is also likely that these callers are stealing credit card numbers for later use.

If you get a call at home or your place of business like this, just hang up. Neither Microsoft nor any other software or Internet company will call you for any reason like this unless you actually contract with someone for remote monitoring. The ONLY exception to this is that if your computer is infected with a very specific type of program called a Bot-Net. In this case, your Internet provider will contact you.

If you have been a victim of this type of scam and have provided personal info to the caller, contact your local police department to file a report. If your gave the caller credit card or banking information, contact your bank or credit card company and tell them that you have been a victim of a “phishing” scam. They will know what to do to prevent further loss.

We all use our computers every day to stay in touch and get information from the Internet. With just a touch of skepticism and careful web surfing, we can stay safer online.