iYogi is a real company, but they have a poor review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2456682,00.asp
However, I really doubt your caller was the genuine iYogi company. Most of those "your computer is infected and we can fix it" calls are from overseas, and the scammer spoofs the phone number you see on your Caller ID. The scammer also pretends to be a real computer associated company... frequently stating they are "Microsoft" or "Microsoft associates".
Bottom line:
If somebody calls you to tell you that your computer needs fixing,
Hang up immediately - it is a scammer.
I received a phone call about my computer from ...(Microsoft Windows?) The gentleman on line told me my computer wasn't working properly, implying there was some sort of problem with it.The man had an indian accent.He told me my license on Windows had expired after linking up to my computer and pointing it out . He said it would cost me $90 dollars for a year( I'M guessing a renewal fee)T.Oh!...he also said he'd give me a senior discount an extra year for free.All I can say to that is ...Huh!!! These calls all started once I started using a Tech support company called iYOGI,A High pressure sales group pushing and scaring you to buy products and services you don't want.They tell you your computer absolutely has to have it.Also, awhile back a woman called me claiming my computer was being hacked,she also said she was a Microsoft windows representative (also an indian accent).
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 spam/email your soon-to-be ex-friends)
• Copied any financial data or passwords they could find
• Compromised your 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, or otherwise disable it, 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. Connect to the internet only AFTER all the above have been done.
10. Change the passwords on all online accounts. Even better - access a "safe", uninfected computer, and change your online account passwords RIGHT NOW.
NOTE:
If your computer set a "Restore Point" while it was infected, any "System Restore" you make will re-infect your computer. Suggest you delete any potentially infected restore points and avoid setting such restore points until after your computer has been thoroughly cleaned!
You fell for one scam, and might be susceptible to others mentioned on this site:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts.html
Read that info to educate and help protect yourself!
Honest computer companies do NOT cold-call people, or cause popups from websites to tell them their computers need fixing!
Some scammers even have websites, and falsely advertise they are associated with popular software packages or computer companies; so do NOT believe a "we will fix your computer remotely" site, and allow them access to your computer!
Read the info at these links.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cold-Call-Tech ... on-150170.shtml
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-support-scams
Lesson:
If your computer needs fixing, bring it to a local repair shop
==========
Please reply to this post, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.
Thanks , Slim, I think it best I take my computer to my local repair shop and have it scrubed.It may cost me, but I would feel safer knowing their gone.I also intend to rid myself of Iyogi, whom I thought were supossedly like PC MATIC. God, do I ever get myself in messes.I left the phone number they called me from.I'm damn curious who these people are and where their from. Again thanks, and don't worry i'm not going to use PC Matic either.
iYogi is a real company, but they have a poor review:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2456682,00.asp
However, I really doubt your caller was the genuine iYogi company. Most of those "your computer is infected and we can fix it" calls are from overseas, and the scammer spoofs the phone number you see on your Caller ID. The scammer also pretends to be a real computer associated company... frequently stating they are "Microsoft" or "Microsoft associates".
Bottom line:
If somebody calls you to tell you that your computer needs fixing,
Hang up immediately - it is a scammer.
Slim, you will never guess who called again and claimed they could get my money recovered (They stole!).Heres another number for ya 1 239 349 4983 .There is no way In h*ll I was going to let him have access to my banking account too.(Again, money he stole).My computer is still unplugged until I can have it scrubbed and cleaned by a local computer business, I feel comfortable with.You can guess he had an Indian access and you`d be rght.After I said my do and hung up, the jerk had the nerve to call me back on a private line trying to claim he was somebody else from South Carolina and he understood the elderly.We'll, there's something he doesn't know about the elderly we can give them an earful with the best of them.