event viewer scam...

[pgriz]

My wife took a call this morning from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Help, saying that they got the reports that our computer was infected. I took the call and they (heavy Indian accent) asked me to go to my computer and do the Window Key + R combination, then type in "eventvwr", go to the Window Log then Application tabs, to look at all the ERROR messages, that were, according to this person signs that my computer was infected. They were going to fix the problems for me for a fee. Uh-huh. I've had these calls before, back in the Windows XP days. Their operating methods haven't changed much since. But they must be getting enough people responding to make the scam worth pursuing.

If you google "event viewer scam", you'll see what they do. So pass this on to your less than tech-savvy friends and family and say NO to the scammers.

 

[sscarmack]

I had this happen once, and I since I work in IT, I had a complete field day.

I played completely dumb, acting like I never used a computer before and I did everything he said, but made him wait like 45 minutes on the phone helping me just to find the start button. It was priceless, He hung up on me lol

 

[PixelRabbit]

My stepfather got taken by this scam a couple years back, he called me that evening because it wasn't sitting well with him and he went in to the bank the next morning and avoided a huge monetary hit but it was certainly a pain in the ...

 

[mmaria]

I played completely dumb, acting like I never used a computer before and I did everything he said, but made him wait like 45 minutes on the phone helping me just to find the start button. It was priceless, He hung up on me lol

lol :thumbup:

You may have some issues with your grammar (I just had to ) but I do admire your ability to deal with a given situation/solve a problem (I remember how you dealt with a guest with a camera on one of the wedding you shot)

So, anyway, can that be taught?

 

[480sparky]

My wife took a call this morning from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Help, saying that they got the reports that our computer was infected. I took the call and they (heavy Indian accent) asked me to go to my computer and do the Window Key + R combination, then type in "eventvwr", go to the Window Log then Application tabs, to look at all the ERROR messages, that were, according to this person signs that my computer was infected. They were going to fix the problems for me for a fee. Uh-huh. I've had these calls before, back in the Windows XP days. Their operating methods haven't changed much since. But they must be getting enough people responding to make the scam worth pursuing.

If you google "event viewer scam", you'll see what they do. So pass this on to your less than tech-savvy friends and family and say NO to the scammers.

You missed the boat on this one. You should charge everyone here $59.95 for this information.

 

[sscarmack]

I played completely dumb, acting like I never used a computer before and I did everything he said, but made him wait like 45 minutes on the phone helping me just to find the start button. It was priceless, He hung up on me lol

lol :thumbup:

You may have some issues with your grammar (I just had to ) but I do admire your ability to deal with a given situation/solve a problem (I remember how you dealt with a guest with a camera on one of the wedding you shot)

So, anyway, can that be taught?

Anything can be taught

 

[AlanKlein]

Years ago a window popped up while I was on the internet. It said it found a virus and there was a button to clear it. I thought it was from my own virus protection programs so clicked to proceed. For days, I kept getting requests to download a virus cleaning program for $20. I finally had another free program installed that got rid of the spam virus program (malware I think?).

 

[JacaRanda]

I recently learned that a friend of a friend fell for (wait for it)......in order for us to fix your computer, you need to give us control and you have to turn your monitor off.

Yup, sure did.

 

[pgriz]

What's kinda funny, is that I do maintain my virus protection stuff, and regularly check the processes running to see if there's anything that I can't account for. I also have a number of websites that I use for promoting my business, and get lots of funny stuff that is sent by spambots via the forms on those sites (the ones that get past the filters and other guards). Which is not to say that it's bullet-proof, but I've succeeded in keeping the systems clean so far. And there are enough external backups of both data and systems to allow me to restore IF a major hack happens.

 

[CameraClicker]

I've had several calls from those in India wanting to fix my Windows machine. When I tell them I have Linux, I get passed to someone more senior, and after confirming I said "Linux" he apologizes and hangs up.