Computer Virus Scam Victimizes Resident in Aldie: Police

ALDIE, VA — A resident in the 42100 block of Piebald Square fell victim Tuesday to a familiar scam involving a phony computer virus threat and a phony Microsoft representative, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

Around noon, the resident received a message on a computer saying it had become infected with a virus, and that the resident needed to contact a Microsoft representative.

The resident did so, providing access to the computer and also providing bank information in hopes of getting the virus scrubbed.

Only there was no virus. The victim soon realized it was a scam and called police.

The Federal Trade Commission has tips about such scams. Among them:

Their tactics are designed to scare you into believing they can help fix your “problem.” Once they’ve gained your trust, they may:

• ask you to give them remote access to your computer and then make changes to your settings that could leave your computer vulnerable
• try to enroll you in a worthless computer maintenance or warranty program
• ask for credit card information so they can bill you for phony services — or services you could get elsewhere for free
• trick you into installing malware that could steal sensitive data, like user names and passwords
• direct you to websites and ask you to enter your credit card number and other personal information

Regardless of the tactics they use, they have one purpose: to make money.

Keep these other tips in mind:

• Don’t give control of your computer to a third party who calls you out of the blue.
• Do not rely on caller ID alone to authenticate a caller. Criminals spoof caller ID numbers. They may appear to be calling from a legitimate company or a local number, when they’re not even in the same country as you.
• Online search results might not be the best way to find technical support or get a company’s contact information. Scammers sometimes place online ads to convince you to call them. They pay to boost their ranking in search results so their websites and phone numbers appear above those of legitimate companies. If you want tech support, look for a company’s contact information on their software package or on your receipt.
• Never provide your credit card or financial information to someone who calls and claims to be from tech support.
• If a caller pressures you to buy a computer security product or says there is a subscription fee associated with the call, hang up. If you’re concerned about your computer, call your security software company directly and ask for help.
• Never give your password on the phone. No legitimate organization calls you and asks for your password.
• Put your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry, and then report illegal sales calls.

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