- PHONE CALL SCAMMERS
- SCENARIO: The phone rings, the caller sounds foreign, claiming to be from Microsoft. He says that your computer is sending errors, … or your license has expired, … or they owe you money, and instruct you how to let them in to diagnose your computer.
- OUTCOME IF YOU FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS: They download spyware / malware / malicious software, steal your files, steal your identity, and request money to repair bogus errors ($199 … $399 … $799 …$1199…). If you don’t pay, they lock you out of your computer.
- ACTION: hang up immediately and DO NOT let strangers into your computer!
- PHISHING E-MAILS
- SCENARIO: An e-mail looks like it is from your bank or e-mail service, claiming to need to validate yor account. It asks you to sign in with your user ID and password.
- OUTCOME: Now they have access to yur account
- ACTION: Change your password immediately. NEVER give your sign in credentials as a result of an e-mail request.
- SCARY POP-UPS
- SCENARIO: Your screen and mouse freeze, sometimes with sirens or talking. A pop-up claims that Microsoft tech support is standing by to fix a serious issue with your computer. Just call them immediately! It claims you will lose all your files, if you turn off your computer. This is all designed to get you to call and let the scammers into your computer.
- OUTCOME: same as phone call scammers, if you call and let them into your computer.
- ACTION: DO NOT call (even if your pants are scared off!!!) On your keyboard, depress keys CTRL + ALT + DEL, select TASK MANAGER; select the name of browser; click END TASK; or hold power button until computer turns off. When you start your browser again, DO NOT recover web pages.
- BOGUS ADVERTISEMENTS
- SCENARIO: Scammers put malicious code in advertisements.
- OUTCOME: Malware or ransomware is installed on your computer and you do not even need to click on the ad!!!
- ACTION: Install an ad blocker; I recommend NOTE: a quick scanner for adware infections is AdwCleaner by Malwarebytes.
- BOGUS SEARCH ENGINES
- SCENARIO: The first tab in your browser suddenly changes.
- OUTCOME: When searching, you are sent to wrong , malicious websites.
- ACTION: use google.com; it is safe and reliable.
- E-MAIL ATTACHMENTS
- SCENARIO: You get e-mails FWD: from friends; the body of e-mail is enticing – “click here, enjoy, then send to 20 of your friends” or “we could not deliver your package, click to see the details” or “your invoice is attached, click to see the details” or “you have won … click to see the prize …”
- OUTCOME: Malware is silently installed on your computer.
- ACTION: DO NOT CLICK, if you suspect your friend did not personally create the attachment, Install robust anti-malware software; I recommend Emsisoft anti-malware. NOTE: uninstall your anti-virus software first
Be careful not to let the scammers into your computer.
Once malware gets into your computer, it runs REALLY SLOW!! It is not old; it is infected!!!
I use adwCleaner and Malwarebytes to detect and remove malware installed by scammers.
by Linda Lindquist, Certified Malware Removal Specialist, pccoach@computerandinternethelp.com
