Like many of us I don’t spend hours on a computer desktop or laptop. I go directly to the business at hand, researching, writing, or buying, and get off the computer. If memory serves me I was searching for an electric blanket and up pops, full screen, a Microsoft warning both visual and audio. I stared at it for some time trying to determine the authenticity of the source and warning. Then I did the dumb thing by calling the ersatz and phony Microsoft customer service.
It was downhill from there. The person answering sounded very creditable with a foreign accent…think India. However he indicated he was at a call center in Buffalo, New York. With the call centers employing foreign nationals it seemed plausible but I was starting to feel something was off kilter. He spoke fast and non-stop. In short he was trying to repair what he described damage done by a hacker. The irony was that he was the hacker.
His pitch was that Microsoft would pay the $500.00 to repair the damage done by the hacker if I was over the age of 60. Then I was transferred to a financial consultant and my stomach starting tightening. I had fallen for the oldest scam, “bait and switch,” and guys that were great actors or deceivers your choice. He wanted my credit card number for the $500.00 and I would be reimbursed by Microsoft.
I hung up and immediately contacted my computer technician one of the best. He provides service for dozens of computers at his work site. He confirmed what I already knew by this point. I had been hacked.
What can you do?
Microsoft will not contact you by phone. If you are being hacked by what looks like a creditable source delete it immediately.
Shut computer off and don’t call any number. If you don’t they can install either malware or ransomware and you won’t know it till they attempt to contact you again.
Malware gives them pretty much complete access to your computer without you knowing it. Everything banking, credit card numbers, passwords. You get the picture.
Ransomware includes all the above and then they contact you and ask for your credit card number to pay to get them out of your system, thus the term “ransom.” They have everything on your computer. They can also lock you out of your computer and you can’t access a thing. I’m now getting spam but letting me know they have my password and they do. Creeps.
If you think your security measures are a fail-safe, think again. These guys are getting better because of the millions of dollars they are bringing in. Corporations, hospitals, and governments have all experienced hackers and have paid out large sums just to get back in business.
Don’t open any attachments without knowing who it is. Even then the attachment could have a virus. Call the person for confirmation.
Currently my computer is out of commission and at the computer hospital trying to save what we can. I felt compelled to share this experience and warning with you. I hope it will help you.
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