I received a call from 937-250-0270 number today. Caller ID said it was an Ohio number. The person on the phone had a thick accent that was too hard for me to clearly understand him but he kept saying Microsoft. I asked for someone who spoke English but he went on with his Microsoft talk. I told him if my system is compromised I would be happy to forward his call to my law enforcement. He then sounded bewildered and started to be forceful trying to make it sound like I was screwing up. I then told him if he didn't want me to forward this call then he is more than welcome to call my law enforcement and tell them my computer has been compromised.....he hung up on me, darn. I knew it was a scam from 2 seconds into the call.
Since the scammers accessed the computer, they probably did one or more of the following:
• Disabled the anti-virus software
• Added nasty malware to the computer
• Copied the Contact List (so they can email your soon-to-be ex-friends)
• Copied any financial data or passwords they could find
• Compromised the ID
• "Zombied" the computer, so it would respond to THEIR commands sent via internet
• Deleted some important files
• Asked for money to repair the damage they caused
What can you do immediately after such an attack?
1. Pull the cables on the computer, so it cannot access the internet.
2. Change ALL passwords stored on the computer
3. Run FULL malware scans on the computer, in "SAFE" mode!
4. Change the passwords again, particularly if the malware scans showed anything
5. Inform your bank and credit card companies
6. Sign up for credit monitoring, and check the status frequently
7. You may have to bring the computer to a local repair shop, and tell them the story.
8. Tell friends what happened, so they can be aware of strange emails from you
9. Plug in the computer only AFTER all the above have been done
10. Change the passwords on all online accounts. Even better - access a "safe", uninfected computer, and chance your online account passwords RIGHT NOW.
You fell for one scam, and might be susceptible to others mentioned on this site:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts_rev.html
Read that info to educate and help protect yourself!
Honest computer companies do NOT cold-call people to tell them their computers need fixing!
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cold-Call-Tech ... on-150170.shtml
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-support-scams
Remember to return here, to 800notes.com, after you look at any of the information at the above sites, either to post more information, or to let us know you avoided the scam or fixed the computer correctly.