How do you know it’s a scam? Here are a few tips to make you more aware of how scammers appeal to your emotions of fear or greed to get you to do what they want. Recognize how to prevent scammers from stealing your identity or money!
1. The Microsoft Calling Scam
You receive telephone calls and the caller says your computer is sending out errors. They say they are Microsoft and can help. BE SAFE: HANG UP! Never let a stranger into your computer! The scammers want to put malware on your computer and charge you lots of money to remove it.
2. The “Scare Your Pants Off” Call Windows Tech Support Pop-up Scam
Your browser pops up scary messages urging you to call Microsoft tech support immediately. Your computer freezes, talks to you and sometimes sirens blare. BE SAFE: DO NOT CALL! The scammers want money to remove non-existent malware. To close the pop-up, do CTRL-ALT-DEL, open TASKMANAGER, select the browser, and click END TASK.
3. The “FW: e-mail from friend with attachment” Scam
You receive forwarded e-mails from friends asking you to open the attachment, and then forward it to 20 of your friends to also enjoy BE SAFE: DO NOT CLICK TO OPEN! Your friend did not create the attachment. Scammers deliver malware payloads to stolen e-mail addresses ... and expect you to forward to your friends.
4. The “E-mail with attached .ZIP file” Scam
You receive e-mails that looks as if they are from a bank, postal delivery tracking service or contains an invoice. The e-mail requests that you open the attached .ZIP file to see the details. BE SAFE: DO NOT CLICK TO OPEN! The scammer delivers a very serious malicious payload when the the file is opened.
5. The “E-mail requests you to log-in to your account” Scam
You receive e-mails that appears to be from your bank, credit card, Amazon, PayPal or e-mail service. The e-mail requests that you click a link and log in to verify your account. BE SAFE: DO NOT LOG IN FROM ANY E-MAIL! Phishing e-mails from scammers are designed to steal your identity or your money.
6. The “Different search page” Scam
Your search page is no longer Google or Bing, and you did not change it. BE SAFE: DO NOT SEARCH FROM AN UNKNOWN SEARCH PAGE! Scammers change search engines to send you to their malware infected websites.
7. The “Request to pay to unlock your files” SERIOUS SCAM
You click to open a file and are redirected to a page that asks for $$ in bitcoin or iTunes cards to unlock your encrypted files. Your computer has been attacked by Ransomware! BE SAFE: TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER. Do not use your computer; take it immediately to a computer professional at a computer repair shop. Hopefully, you previously backed up your personal files.
8. The “Call us for a Refund” Scam
You open an email that claims an expensive item was purchased on your Amazon account for shipping to another person, and suggests you call if you did not order. Or your McAfee anti-virus will be auto renewed for several hundreds of dollars.
BE SAFE: DO NOT CALL. From this ‘phishing’ email, the scammer talks their way into your computer, your bank account and sometimes even locks you out of your own computer, if you do not follow their instructions.
Once you recognize how the scammers get into your computer, you are empowered to be safe and avoid the scam in the first place! I wish you healthy and safe computing. I am committed to protect your computers at an affordable price. Thank you for trusting me to keep your computers healthy. Contact us at 239-567-0104 when it is time to renew your protection software, or if you need computer and internet help. Be well.
By Linda Lindquist, October 17, 2022 https://www.computerandinternethelp.com/contact-us
