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Southwestern Woman

Computing & Technology > A New Version of an Old Scam
 

A New Version of an Old Scam

Your computer screen is plastered with warnings that purport to be from microsoft. It is frozen. I turned my computer off and it was turned back on with the warning still in place. I ignored the number you were supposed to call, turned the computer off and unplugged it for a short while. My computer is working fine now.

I got sucked into this fake message once by those crafty little Asians....this is an assumption due to their accent and don't want it to happen to anyone else. AARP says turn the computer off immediately but that didn't work this time. It had to be unplugged for about ten minutes.

I loathe scammers. I wish they would learn to work for a living just like we all have to do.

posted on Nov 20, 2018 1:38 AM ()

Comments:

I fear for the folks who unknowingly fall into these scammers' traps. It can be costly to repair their damage or recover from their fraud.
comment by jerms on Nov 24, 2018 7:11 PM ()
Initially, they want a lot of money to fix the problem and in the meantime steal all your information. I think they target the elderly.
reply by elderjane on Nov 25, 2018 6:03 AM ()
We constantly get phone calls from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, telling us our program has been breached and we are at grave risk, and to please call the no. they give us. I just hang up on them and don't do anything and nothing happens to my computer. We also get calls from techies from India, that we once used, and they messed us up big time when we wouldn't go for their exorbitant fee. Why they think we would ever work with them again is beyond me. I usually tell them to f off. And they keep calling.
comment by tealstar on Nov 24, 2018 9:03 AM ()
I get the calls too. Also the IRS calls and the lawsuit calls. It makes you lose faith in humanity.
reply by elderjane on Nov 25, 2018 6:04 AM ()
Do you use a browser ad blocker? I also use the NoScript plugin, so I can chose which websites are allowed to run javascript and what other javascript is allowed. My wife finds that plugin too much work, but it limits third-party scripts.
comment by stiva on Nov 22, 2018 5:45 AM ()
Sounds like you know what to watch for.

Do you have an anti-virus and -malware program and other security software installed on the computer?
comment by stiva on Nov 22, 2018 4:48 AM ()
Yes, I have several but these people seem to know how to get around it.
reply by elderjane on Nov 22, 2018 5:11 AM ()
This scam isn't based on greed so you can't blame the victim. Can't get much lower than this.
comment by jjoohhnn on Nov 21, 2018 12:00 PM ()
What gnaws at me the most is that they threaten to disable your computer if you do not comply with their request to call the fake microsoft number. Think of all the elderly people who use a computer to stay in touch with their friends and family.
reply by elderjane on Nov 22, 2018 5:14 AM ()
I was delighted with the result. They make it look so very official with all kinds of red stuff on the screen and telling you that your computer will be damaged if you persist. Ugh!
comment by elderjane on Nov 20, 2018 2:06 PM ()
Reply to dramus...just in the wrong place.
reply by elderjane on Nov 20, 2018 2:07 PM ()
I’m glad ya didn’t fall for it.
comment by kristilyn3 on Nov 20, 2018 8:35 AM ()
Me too.
reply by elderjane on Nov 20, 2018 2:04 PM ()
I too loathe scammers.
Hooray that you knew what to do!
comment by marta on Nov 20, 2018 8:15 AM ()
I probably would not have known if it had not been for AARP. At least I wasn't frustrated for long.
reply by elderjane on Nov 20, 2018 2:05 PM ()
Smart of you to heed this advice from AARP! It's worth remembering that turning your computer off and restarting fixes quite a few things; but actually unplugging from the wall for a short period resets other things. Once for a repair Apple told me to unplug my computer too.
comment by drmaus on Nov 20, 2018 8:09 AM ()

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