Yet another newer scam
 

Lately some people have been victimized by a newer scam, one made possible by the remote access features in Windows 7. Here's how it works --

Someone calls you on the phone, claiming to be from Microsoft or from Norton or some other respected company. They claim that your computer has reported a virus, and that they can remove it remotely, for free.

If you agree, they'll start a remote session on your computer, which you'll need to approve by clicking on a button. They'll appear to be removing a virus, meanwhile they'll be planting a key-logger or other malware on your computer that will give them full access to your machine, including all your stored passwords, etc.

Please, if someone calls you with a virus story, don't agree to let them "fix" it.

Guess there are a couple of advantages to having an almost obsolete machine! :rolleyes: :confused:

yep, already got a call. i told him i didn't have a computer!!!

Thanks for the warning.

there is also a flashing shield (with 4patch of blue and yellow) when you click on it -- it says you have a trojan and 78 virsus on your computer... they claim to be Windows Shield and can protect your computer says to click on remove this issue and it actually disables you Macafee / Norton and down loads their program... then they try to get your bank information... even tries to send a fake email from your bank... what a mess... do not click on that shield...I guess by now you know how I know... did get issue cleaned up and Macfee is back on my system. They people need to get a JOB and stop this.
Judy in Phx, AZ

Thanks for the warning!

If you have Caller ID, don't pick for phone numbers you do not recognize. They can leave a message if you have an answering machine.

my husband picks up the phone, no matter who it may be. I try to get there first but can't run that fast.

I had that call some months ago. For a bit of fun I decided to let the guy carry on instead of hanging up like I usually do..lol. He became very insistent and didn't like that I said, if my computer crashes I'll take it to my local guy thank you very much...lol. I ended up having to just hang up on him. Of course, my computer hasn't crashed :)

I've gotten to the point that I don't answer my home phone at all. I've tried for years to get organizations to put me on their "Do Not Call" list. Anyone that I want to talk to knows my cellphone number. When I'm home, I turn on my fax machine. That way after two rings they get the fax signal... Take That Scammers! :p

I had that call last night so they are still at it! I just hung up.
I must have had at least 5 calls from survey people yesterday!

Yeah - I had a call last night from someone claiming to be from Windows. His accent was so strong that I couldn't understand him - and I said so. I figured it was some kind of scam, but I played along t see if I could get a phone # to turn them in. A econd person came on the line, but his accent was just as bad. Finally I just hung up.

There is another trick they do. You could be on the web just doing your thing and a window pops up with the little shield and says they are scanning your computer because you have a dangerous virus. If you click on the x to delete the page it starts to run like crazy. If such a page pops up, do not x it out, just do ALT, CTRL, DELETE, on you key board and end the process there to get rid of it and then it can't run. This happened to me a couple times and after I got rid of it, I ran my virus program right away.

I agree. This popped up out of the blue last week on my computer. I immediately opened up Kaspersky (which runs all the time anyway) and did a scan. No virus, no trojan. Imagine that.

I also had that call a couple months ago, He said my computer was sending out virus's I asked him how he knew
He said they knew everything, I said my computer acts ok to me,He said he would put something stop to the virus.
I said I would call my own computer man and huung up.

I would have asked him, OK, if you know everything, what web page am I on right now?

If you ever get something that starts running on your computer and you are not sure how to shut it down, you can always just shut down your whole computer. That will stop it.

You can tell those "scans" are fake because they happen so fast. When I run my anti-virus software it takes about an HOUR to scan my computer. The pop-up things do it in about 15 seconds and all of a sudden they have found viruses, yeah right....

I always take mine in to the Geek Squad. Thy do a great job. I never thrust anyone who calls me. Usually is a scam.

I got that call just yesterday. Sounded like a gal from India. She said they needed to fix the virus in my computer. When I said how do you know this, she responded that she got the info from the International Router Association. I had not heard of that organization, and said my computer does not have a virus and I am having no trouble. I finally hung up on her and she tried calling back again. I did not answer the call. She called on my cell phone. How did she get my cell phone #? Makes me wonder who else has my cell #!

It has been a while since I got a call like this, but actually did get two of them. It just didn't make sense to me that of all the computers in the world that they could track mine for viruses. I hung up on them. Besides my computer has software protection. But be aware, they do call.

I get these phone calls every day, some times three times a day. I check my caller ID every time a call comes in. Has anyone received phone calls that says "private number, private name"? The one problem I have, my oldest son is stationed over seas working for the State Dept. When he calls, call comes in as a incoming call. I have also received calls like this that are asking for money.

My nephew's job requires him to be up on all things computer. Some of these folks are, indeed, from other countries.

The phone situation: we no longer have a land line. They are just too aggravating with all the unsolicited calls. If someone calls our cell, we look at the number. If we recognize it or it displays the name, we answer it. Anyone else can leave a message. BUT they usually don't!

I don't answer my phone. Let it go to machine. Lot of political calls lately also. I see and hear on TV all I need.
Thanks for the info. will pass it on.

This happened to me last week. I declined to let them. I,m thinking "that will be the day Microsoft would be calling
everyone with a computer, yea right.)

sewsecksy
 

I to have had many of these calls the last 3 months and it has even shut my one laptop completely down. I had gotten so fed up with these guys from an OutSource calling with very bad accents that I had told them I could not undestand them. They told me they would have a tech call me LOL NO. Couple of weeks later they called yet again, they just don't give up I told them NO they said I have a VIRUS in my computer DUH I told them they put it there. I said I didn't want to speak to them because I didn't understand what they were saying yet again. Time went by Again and other call same thing don't understand I got smart and started speaking Dutch to them and he said I don't understand what you are saying Mame sorry and hung up. Here is my Solution can't get rid of them just start speaking some other language if you know one or if you don't make one up. It worked for me, and by the way remove all Microsoft Hardward that is what caused my problem they installed it when I bought my Laptop at BestBuy and now I have a better and faster Computer. Sorry this is so long but I just had to get my point accross.

I know someone who got this same virus - took 2 days and $100 to remove it!

Some people have nothing better to do or are so lazy they have to prey on the innocent. Disgusting!Thanks for the warning.

Here is a program that is well worth the money. I have use it for a year...it is called, Reimage. Google it and find out about it. Anyway I just renewed my subscription for for another year. The program scans your computer, deletes bad and broken files, deletes any viruses it finds and then here is the good part. It replaces all the bad files it deletes with good, brand new files from the microsoft storage.. it will tell you about your computer, how it's running, it will fix the registery etc etc etc...if you have a very bad problem and you can't seem to fix it with reimage, they will make an appointment with you and then do a remote session and fix everything...here is a link to read about it....

http://reimage.org/

All I can say is wow what sneaky underhanded @#$%$ ugh, i would be so upset ,and yea how did she call back your cell Dollyquilt ,freaky.thanks for the heads up.