I’m now used to clients getting “cold called” by computer scammers. Today I got a call myself from one of these guys.
They said they were from “Microsoft Windows” and were calling about my computer problem.
What problem?
But I knew what I was dealing with here. That’s because I’ve had to clean up after them a number of times.
Typically what has happened to several of my clients is that they get a phone call. The caller usually sounds typically “North American”, without any discernable accent.
They say they are calling from “Windows” or even Microsoft, though Microsoft will never call you.
It’s about the problem with your computer. Often the delivery is so professional sounding, that people will go along with them.
The next thing is that they want you to go to a website where you click “Yes” a couple of times. What you are doing is giving them remote access to your computer. You can watch your mouse pointer move all over your screen by itself! Well, it’s someone else doing it.
Now they run a little program that shows a multitude of problems with your computer. Frightening, yes?
It’s a scam. These “problems” are almost sure to be false.
It’s very much like the old vacuum salesman’s trick of throwing dirt on you carpet and, Presto!, offering the solution – a brand new vacuum cleaner that he’s got right here.
There is usually nothing to clean up on your computer, nothing wrong with it at all.
But how professional and caring the guy on the phone is! Now he will offer to keep your computer problem-free if only you subscribe to an annual subscription fee. Usually around $300.00.
And then he will want your credit card information. Sad to say, a couple of my clients have done this and then had to go through the hassle of contacting their bank and cancelling their cards. Unfortunately, once the transaction is done, it’s done. You’ve paid. The bank will not help you retrieve your money.
And not only do these guys have your money (and credit card number), but who knows what else they’ve planted on your computer while they had control of it. Spyware, malware – these are things that can report back to them any of your internet activities, or even lift passwords and banking information.
This is the making of “identity theft”.
You don’t want any of this.
If you get a call from someone who says they’re from “Windows” or Microsoft, the simple thing to do is hang up. There is nothing to be gained by engaging them.
By the way, Microsoft, the real Microsoft, will never call you out of the blue. Never.
Over the last year, I’ve had a chance to research this particular scam, and it almost invariably originates from India. If pressed, the scammers will say they’re company’s name is PC-Care, or Online PC Care, or PC Online – you see the pattern.
They will even give out a phone number to call them back. These are usually bogus numbers, with area codes in the U.S. Unless you have good computer hacking skills, you will have a nigh on impossible chance of tracking down where on the planet they are. But the consensus is, they are from India.
I must admit I had fun with the guy who called me today. I told him I knew exactly what we was going to ask me to do, in what order, and how much he was going to charge me for it. I also told him what his company was really called, and that I was reporting this call to the RCMP. That usually does it, but this one had gumption and started yelling (there was an accent, now) that I knew nothing about his business. I hung up.
So watch out for these kinds of phone calls. Don’t engage them, don’t follow any of their instructions, and for heaven’s sake don’t let them take control of your computer. The giving out of credit card numbers I will credit you for being smart enough to avoid.
I can and have helped people clean up after this experience with scammers, but it’s not the way I’d prefer to make a buck. I would sooner not have you vulnerable to this mischief in the first place.
Be careful out there.
