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 on Facebook or other social site(s), and perhaps on shopping sites.
• "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. Backup non-executable personal, data files to an external storage device. (Executable files might be infected).
8. You may have to bring the computer to a local repair shop, and tell them the story.
9. Tell friends what happened, so they can be aware of strange emails from you.
10. Connect to the internet only AFTER all the above have been done.
11. 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
Got a call fairly late Friday night (Nov 4th, 2016) from this fake number, (478) 521-4752 from Sandersville, GA, with the the old and tired 'computer virus' scam with someone posing as a Microsoft employee (interesting since I use a Mac). It was a live call from a woman with a heavy Indian accent (typical of many of these scams) and I just hung up and blocked the number. These calls are very much on the rise (if that is possible considering how long this has been going on), so please beware! A ring of these scammers was recently raided in India, but this evil practice appears to be alive and well.
By the way, one clear sign of a 'spoofed' (fake) number what happens when you try and call the number back. This particular number comes up as being 'out of service'. Hmmmm..........a legitimate business uses a number that is out of service? Don't think so.
Man didnt identify himself or company. Didn't refer to me by name but said he was calling about my windows computer. Hung up when I indicated I am on do not call list.
They call every other day, it started in June, when my husband thought it was a company he had done business with in the past. So I gave them remote access to the computer, and that's when we found out that it's a scam, took $319 from husbands account. The things they put on the computer I could have (and have in the past) downloaded free. They keep wanting to return the money, but say they need to have access to the computer in order to get the money back to his account. When I wouldn't give them his bank info again, they wanted my information..by then I knew it was a scam . Turned it over to the bank to get the money back. Company name is Geeks2Assist.