LBMEFM
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 03:38 PM |
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Computer scams
Following on from other posts recently I've recieved several scams in the last week that it may be worth mentioning. First one, I got a phone
call from the "Lloyd's Bank" who informed there has been a breach of security at the local branch and my details were at risk. I put
the phone down and called the bank and told they have not made any calls.
The second was, I was online when a message came up "Warning" you security has been breached, if you don't call an 0800 number
displayed on the screen immediately your computer will be locked. I called the number and a very convincing women answered as Microsoft security, she
put me through to an engineer who informed me that my debit cards were at risk and gave me the first numbers of each of them. He ask me to enter
several details to take me onto a website and asked me to enter code AMMY. I asked what this code was for and he told me it would allow him to work on
my account and repair the breach. At this point I noted that my computer was frozen, I told him I was not happy with this and ask him to call back
later, I put the phone down. I then called Graham who looks after my computer and he confirmed it was a scam and called in and put it back online. He
said once you call their number they ask you to type in codes and will get access to your account details. While he was here the
"engineer" called back and Graham told him in no uncertain terms what he thought of him, he was very offended and said he was only doing
his job. All details were then passed on to the police.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 04:00 PM |
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I usually ignore this sort of scam email, but if I get one that rings true I go to the bank/paypal website through MY OWN links and check - I never,
ever, open the links in the email.
But most of the time they get deleted out of hand, with less than a second's thought...
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jps
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 04:21 PM |
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My dad got scammed like this a while ago - he was a bit confused as to whether it was a direct phone call or a pop-up thing that started it - but in
the end he told me they'd been in contact with him more than once and had done various things that had allowed them remote access to his PC
after they'd told him it was running slowly (aren't all computers?!) and the virus software was out of date. At best I think they just
installed useless software, at worst I dread to think - it had certainly locked down uninstall options, etc.... He rang the credit card company who
basically said that he'd need to get independent proof that they'd installed junk software/malware (which I imagine would be a drawn out
an expensive process) - so in the end he just chalked it up to experience and binned the computer.
I said to him "If someone knocked on your front door and started telling you this stuff, would you let them into the house to start using the
computer/going through your cards?". Cue silence on the phone from him...!
Personally i'd love to have a few minutes with the people who run these sorts of scam - ideally with their hands strapped down to a table and me
wielding a hammer.
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nick205
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 04:23 PM |
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They do seem quite prevalent at the moment. I answered a call at work the other day to "Sean" calling from Microsoft wanting to warn me
about my MS Windows computer. When I told him I didn't have a computer he hung up instantly.
What worries me is that people will fall for it and get themselves in trouble.
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 04:55 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
They do seem quite prevalent at the moment. I answered a call at work the other day to "Sean" calling from Microsoft wanting to warn me
about my MS Windows computer. When I told him I didn't have a computer he hung up instantly.
What worries me is that people will fall for it and get themselves in trouble.
unfortunately people do fall for it
one of the scams is they fix your computer that they broke, then say they will charge you £50 or so, and as the transaction goes though they add a
zero- so thus £500 - all authorized by you on your own computer...
I am sure many people have been fleeced for hundred of pounds but are too proud to admit it!
[Edited on 29/11/16 by gremlin1234]
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tims31
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 07:19 PM |
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I have regular contact with 'TalkTalk' (who I am no longer with) Or 'BT' (usually from India) telling me I have a virus on my
computer/router. Being fairly computer savy I let them talk and play along to see what it is they want me to do, sometimes even prompting them as to
what they want me to do before they say it. So far my record is up to 38mins, of course I don't do what they tell me but try to play along as
dump or as they call me stoopid. Beter that I waste their time than they conning someone who isn't as sure.
Even my kids do it now when I'm not in.
Build: http://www.martinsfurybuild.co.uk/
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 07:41 PM |
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I used to wind them up a bit... and after a while I told them that my computer doesn't have Windows (I use Linux). Nowadays I can't be
bothered - all calls that come up as 'number unobtainable' get cut off immediately by a box I have attached to the phone, and
'number withheld' ones get blocked by PlusNet (for a fee  ).
I also get a few calls from odd numbers that I let go to the answerphone - if they can't be bothered to leave a message (e.g. robot callers)
then I press a button on the box and that number's blocked from then on.
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 29/11/16 at 07:44 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tims31
I have regular contact with 'TalkTalk' (who I am no longer with) Or 'BT' (usually from India) telling me I have a virus on my
computer/router. Being fairly computer savy I let them talk and play along to see what it is they want me to do, sometimes even prompting them as to
what they want me to do before they say it. So far my record is up to 38mins, of course I don't do what they tell me but try to play along as
dump or as they call me stoopid. Beter that I waste their time than they conning someone who isn't as sure.
Even my kids do it now when I'm not in.
I think I have said before, but, My sister suggested keeping a whistle near the phone, nice acme
thunderer, pretty damned loud if they are using headphones. - especially effective it you start quite quiet
but then any call I have with number withheld, I answer silently, most machines then see it as an answerphone or fax, but if anyone wants to speak to
me they can ask - are you there?
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computid
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| posted on 30/11/16 at 09:53 AM |
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I really never understand how anybody can fall for this. Got an email from Paypal or your bank with a link in it? Don't click the link, go
directly to the bank/paypals website and view your notifications. This mostly avoids the risk of you getting caught out with a fake link.
Got an email from either somebody you don't know or somebody you do know but the content of the email seems a little odd? Don't click the
links or open the attachments.
Somebody phones you up and says your computer is broken/sending them errors/has been compromised/contains child porn or whatever? PUT THE PHONE DOWN.
THIS IS NEVER GOING TO BE LEGITIMATE.
Popup appears whilst browsing the web? CLOSE IT.
It's generally not difficult to spot this stuff. Pro tip: Big organisations don't tend to misspell stuff, if there are mispellings then
theres a 99.9% chance its a scam.
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