Computer Scammers

They disappeared for a while, but they're back again now, ringing me about once a week. I was a bit bored this morning, so I thought I would play with them a bit.

"Good morning, sir, I'm calling from Microsoft support. We can see see that your computer is sending out malicious code and has problems, but don't worry, we will help you to fix it."

"No, not again" - should have been a clue for him, but he didn't get it.

They changed it a bit this time. They've become greedy, they want to charge you for loading their remote control program that will hijack your computer. I guess they will then do two things. Firstly they look for bank details, then they load some code, which sometime later will encrypt and scramble all your data. They then offer to unscramble it for a fixed amount of money.

He told me that there would be no charge for sorting minor issues and a charge for sorting major issues.

I told him that my computer takes a long time to boot because it has so many issues. He didn't mind waiting. He kept asking how many computers I had, and seemed particularly interested in laptops for some reason. I told him that I had a broken leg, so I was stuck in bed and could only access the one slow computer.

Curious to see if thry had changed their methods, I played along for a bit. Like before, he took me to the Windows event viewer that shows errors in the computer. He told me that these events show the problem. From the previous calls, I know that, next, they take you to a website where you can download their hijacking software. I tried to slow it down by discussing what the logged errors meant, but he must've smelled a rat, so he put the phone down on me. Game over - until next week. It kept him from scamming other people for about 30 minutes. I need to practice my delay tactics.

Shall we have a competion to see who can keep them on the phone the longest?

They disappeared for a while, but they're back again now, ringing me about once a week. I was a bit bored this morning, so I thought I would play with them a bit.

 

"Good morning, sir, I'm calling from Microsoft support. We can see see that your computer is sending out malicious code and has problems, but don't worry, we will help you to fix it."

 

"No, not again" - should have been a clue for him, but he didn't get it.

 

They changed it a bit this time. They've become greedy, they want to charge you for loading their remote control program that will hijack your computer. I guess they will then do two things. Firstly they look for bank details, then they load some code, which sometime later will encrypt and scramble all your data. They then offer to unscramble it for a fixed amount of money.

 

He told me that there would be no charge for sorting minor issues and a charge for sorting major issues.

 

I told him that my computer takes a long time to boot because it has so many issues. He didn't mind waiting. He kept asking how many computers I had, and seemed particularly interested in laptops for some reason. I told him that I had a broken leg, so I was stuck in bed and could only access the one slow computer.

 

Curious to see if thry had changed their methods, I played along for a bit. Like before, he took me to the Windows event viewer that shows errors in the computer. He told me that these events show the problem. From the previous calls, I know that, next, they take you to a website where you can download their hijacking software. I tried to slow it down by discussing what the logged errors meant, but he must've smelled a rat, so he put the phone down on me. Game over - until next week. It kept him from scamming other people for about 30 minutes. I need to practice my delay tactics.

 

Shall we have a competion to see who can keep them on the phone the longest?

I came home from café where I used internet yeste4rday and couldn't access an email address I use to purchase stuff - my usual password didn't work - so, being a neurotic sort, I frantically changed my password. then, around half an hour later received an email from Hotmail about "unusual activity on my email account" - I accessed a log of previous activity and it appeared that someone from Ukraine had accessed my account at the time I was in the café. more disturbing I saw from the log that a similar attempt had been made, but unsuccessfully, from Indonesia a week before. This never happened before, but is definitely worrying, I don't know that PayPal would give one the same kind of protection a credit card company does for fraudulent transactions

I don't tend to get repeat calls from the pretend Microsoft scammers. When they ring and tell me I have a computer problem, I just say in a surprised voice, "I don't have a computer".

There follows a nonplussed silence, followed by the disconnect click.

.

I get regular calls from someone abroad who has a strong Eastern accent.

They tell me that they have been looking at my broadband and it is running slow.

I always just put the phone down.

I came home from café where I used internet yeste4rday and couldn't access an email address I use to purchase stuff - my usual password didn't work - so, being a neurotic sort, I frantically changed my password. then, around half an hour later received an email from Hotmail about "unusual activity on my email account" - I accessed a log of previous activity and it appeared that someone from Ukraine had accessed my account at the time I was in the café. more disturbing I saw from the log that a similar attempt had been made, but unsuccessfully, from Indonesia a week before. This never happened before, but is definitely worrying, I don't know that PayPal would give one the same kind of protection a credit card company does for fraudulent transactions

My mother had what you had yesterday.

Anyone this happens to, needs to make sure they've not got the same passwords for their PayPal, Apple ID, Amazon accounts etc + their social media, because the main purpose of all this isn't to access your email, it's because most people have the same email/password combinations for the accounts they've got payment details on. The hacker (a bot perhaps) then buys loads of crappy chinese ringtones or apps from a company which feeds their boss the funds, until your credit card is maxed out.

I always use Microsoft remote desktop to hop to my home PC whenever I have to use my laptop on a public wifi. There are so many scammers about - their usual trick is to offer you a free wifi hot spot. At airports for example, it becomes difficult to work out which ones are genuinely free and which ones are scams.

Just use your phone as a wifi hot spot and use your mobile data.

A lot safer.

I also use different passwords on different payment log ins, and they also differ from my email etc. and none of them are saved on the pc.

We get the same phone scammers in Oz, I just very impolitely decline their services.

I did try to play then along once but I got bored after a few minutes

A useful way to see if anyone has successfully gained access to your e-mail account, is to use the 'check recent activity' feature of your e-mail provider.

Unless you've been abroad and accessed your account there, all login attempts should flag up as United Kingdom. You should recognize the attached IP address too.

I looked at my log from the past month, and saw someone/bot has entered an incorrect password from Turkey, Argentina, Philipines and Egypt.

So it goes to show that these tossers are always having a pop at our accounts

Edited June 29, 201510 yr by Fordulike

I keep getting an annoying phish from what seems to be a perfect Paypal site saying that I have bought some junk for about £100

However, the delivery address is not mine.

This mail has a button to push if you dispute the amount etc.

Best way to check is to go to your Paypal account where for me, there is no sign of the transaction

How do you "check recent activity" with hotmail?

I'm guessing you mean Outlook.

Click on your name on the top right hand side, then account settings. There you will have the option to check recent activity.

I had one a while ago ,it went like this, Nice young lady- Hello,this is Microsoft support ,blah blah, code fault etc.

Me, hello.

MSS, are you near your computer ?

Me, yes.

MSS, could you press -blah blah keys

Me, yes.

MSS, what is on your screen?

Me, nothing.

MSS, (after pause)- press any key.

Me( after pause), I haven't got an any key.

MSS, no just any key

Me, you've lost me

This went on for a while pressing this and that

Me, will the fools and horses key do ?

MSS er, the what?

Me, the fools and horses key, you know the one with Del on it.

MSS yes ok ,how does your screen look?

Me, fine

MSS which version of windows do you have installed ?

Me, double glazed

MSS, No NO the number of your windows, like seven or eight

Me, hang on I'll check

MSS, hello hello

Me, it's fourteen

MSS, that's wrong ,check again

Me, I know how many bloody windows I have in my house.

MSS, No no just tell me what's on your screen

Me, nothing

MSS, Nothing??

Me, yes it's not switched on,you never mentioned switching on

Click.

There wouldn't be any point in ringing a mobile because you wouldn't have your computer with you, would you?

Quite often I do. Laptop when away working and a multitude of options when home.

I'm glad they don't bother the mobile phone users though!!