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. Plug in the cables 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.
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_rev.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.
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
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.
i disagree.... it never happened either to me or my friends and relatives by this company.... u must trust them al least.. n do not blame without knowing anything....
This is a scam. We have received the same call appearing to be from different numbers as well as unknown. The last one received just a few moments ago. Rep said he was from Spring Tech and was calling about our computers and laptop. We don't own a laptop. I asked him for a return phone number and that is when he put me on hold and then he disconnected the call. The first time we received this call, we let them in and they wanted $249 to correct the problems with our pc. Needless to say, that did not happen. We have been receiving this call, from various numbers, about every other week for several months now. This site needs a call type of SCAM.