This month we would like to warn readers of a scam that is currently affecting residents of the Hinterland area.
Residents are reporting that they have received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft or Windows. The caller then advises the resident that they have a virus or errors on their computer and that they can fix the problems for them. The caller requested that the resident carry out some simple steps on their computer and ensure they had an internet connection.
Luckily for most people we have spoken to, alarm bells started ringing at this point and they ended the call - as the caller sounded foreign and their English was quite bad.
What this called was was attempting to do is to gain remote access to the residents personal computer. By doing so they would be able to access private data or place viruses on the machine that would cause damage.
These scammers are based in call centers overseas and they prey on a lack of understanding by the computer user to get away with their scam.
No company - including Microsoft - will EVER phone you about problems with your computer, unless you have requested them to. You should never provide access to your computer to anyone who phones you unexpectedly. This should only occur when you have requested IT Support from a professional.
If you have been a victim of of such a phone call, and allowed someone access to your computer, we would recommend you take it in to a professional for an assessment and thorough virus scan.
If you dont already have a good form of anti virus software on your computer - we recommend you get some fast! There are free versions such as AVG Free. These are ok but as with many things in life, you get what you pay for. For paid software we recommend either Kaspersky or Trend. These work well and at not so all invasive of your computer that they slow it down considerably - as some other brands of anti virus software will do.
