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Old 05-16-2012, 06:30 PM   #1
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Warning!!! Warning!!!

Hi: All...Just got my c'puter back from the hospital. Was only in out patient surgery and not admitted for a lengthy stay. If you get a call from someone perporting to represent Windows Tech. Support, regarding your computer being HACKED... DO NOT... I REPEAT... DO NOT answer their questions. It is a boiler room pressure sales pitch for their own security system. Biggie $$$'s
They managed to get control of my computer and locked me out. My first instinct was to not answer the call...Wish I had followed it!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
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Old 05-16-2012, 08:04 PM   #2
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Thanks Alf, for the heads up........ Seems to be a lot of that going around.
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Old 05-16-2012, 08:45 PM   #3
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Hey Alf

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Originally Posted by Alf S. View Post
Hi: All...Just got my c'puter back from the hospital. Was only in out patient surgery and not admitted for a lengthy stay. If you get a call from someone perporting to represent Windows Tech. Support, regarding your computer being HACKED... DO NOT... I REPEAT... DO NOT answer their questions. It is a boiler room pressure sales pitch for their own security system. Biggie $$$'s
They managed to get control of my computer and locked me out. My first instinct was to not answer the call...Wish I had followed it!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie
Sorry to hear about your ordeal with the computer unfortunately this type of thing happens a lot.

And the folks that perpetrate it are really good at it they tend to use miss direction and it seems to happen not just over the phone but at your front door as well as e-mails and social media sites like facebook and others.

Truely a scourge of modern day society, that said it's good that you shared it with others in the hopes that it slows down or stops this fraud.

I mentioned the front door, well we had a couple of fellows come to the door about a week ago one dress in a casual outfit (jacket and shirt) with a clipboard standing on my porch a few steps further away on the walkway leading up to our porch another fellow wearing coveralls, both in their early 20's both neat and tidy in appearance.

The fellow with the clip board flashes a laminated badge at me and say we are from bla bla bla and we are here to check your water meter I said are you with a government agency he said no I said get lost and get off my property. I must say they looked pretty slick and didn't seem rattled by my response at all just went on to the next house.
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Old 05-16-2012, 09:47 PM   #4
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This sort of thing is becoming more common - read more here: Watch out for ‘Microsoft Tech Support’ scams

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Old 05-17-2012, 01:31 AM   #5
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Have had the same call about 10 times now as have other members of my family. The silly part is knowing its a scam as Microsoft would never call you, I at first played along with them. One time I told them there are 3 computers in my home could they tell me which one it was that was sending the error messages - response it doesn't matter just use anyone of them to do what I tell you.... I explained that I have some IT experience and it doesn't work that way and if they were really microsoft they should be able to tell me at least what version of windows the computer sending out the message was running and who the software was registered to. The guy hung up. Next time they called I told them that none of my computers where running Windows as they were all Apples, believe it or not the guy still tried to get me to do what they wanted. They dont take no for an answer. Only stopped calling when I continually just hung up every time they called.
I was aware they were wanting to take over the computer but wasn't sure if they where wanting to use the computer to send out mass spam mail or if they where scanning it for personal info in the memory that may be there from online shopping etc .....
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Old 05-17-2012, 06:11 AM   #6
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I just tell them that the number they called is the local FBI office and is there anything they want to discuss with me. They then hangup....works like a charm
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Old 05-17-2012, 09:04 AM   #7
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Had not heard about the direct calling or showing up at the door attempts at social engineering. Good to know.

Probably worth mentioning how important it is to back up the files that you care about on your computer to an external drive or location. Computers get stolen, hard drives fail, get hacked or virus infected.

Having your pictures, bookmarks and email addresses stored on a drive you only plug in when you want to back up then remove is a simple cost effective option.

If you can store the backup drive in a different location that is even better. My sister and I bring "our" drive to the others house when we visit and back up "their" files. She has a copy of mine and hers, I have a copy of hers and mine.

Of course unwelcome visitors at our front door have another name "dog treats". Our furry girl child does so love the chance to guard the home
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Old 05-17-2012, 09:13 AM   #8
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Oooo... I hope the scammers call me up! I like having FUN with that sort of people. Almost as much fun as stringing along a Nigerian scammer. I created a persona called "Locutus Borg" (Star Trek fans can chuckle here) and strung along the scammer for a month or so before I got bored. Click on the little picture to see the wonderful note I got for him...
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Old 05-17-2012, 09:39 AM   #9
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I created a persona called "Locutus Borg" (Star Trek fans can chuckle here)
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Old 05-17-2012, 09:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
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Oooo... I hope the scammers call me up! I like having FUN with that sort of people. Almost as much fun as stringing along a Nigerian scammer. I created a persona called "Locutus Borg" (Star Trek fans can chuckle here) and strung along the scammer for a month or so before I got bored. Click on the little picture to see the wonderful note I got for him...
Got to Luv it!!
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Old 05-17-2012, 09:49 AM   #11
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Gary, that's a great one.

I too love to play with these guys. They have no conscience, so why should I let mine bother me when dealing with them.

We were getting bugged by a plague of the same solicitations as Alf. It was mostly my wife taking the calls and just saying no to them. Amazing how persistent these guys are. Finally I answered, and pleaded being broke, and would they mind accepting certain sexual pleasures as compensation.........haven't heard from them since.
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Old 05-18-2012, 11:32 AM   #12
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Alf
have someone pull off the data files and rebuild your computer.
(not a big deal)
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