A Clever Computer Scam !

Australians logging onto Facebook from their computers on recent Sunday mornings are likely to find a message on their screens warning them that their system has been invaded by a virus and that it is imperative that they call an 1800 number to stop further damage and loss of data.  There is every indication that this warning originated from Microsoft, the maker of the systems installed on most computers.

This message goes on to warn that if this action is not taken, Microsoft may need to shut down your computer system to prevent it further contaminating the rest of the system, in which case it will be costly and difficult to reinstall and many files may be lost.

Those who react by calling that 1800 number receive a very professional reception and are quickly transferred to a " technician " who is a smooth talker in explaining the problem.  He requests that you grant " remote access " to your computer system to allow work to be done to fix the virus invasion and when this is granted you see the cursor moving about the screen under the control of this person you have engaged to fix your problem.

After some minutes this technician advises that he will be able to successfully carry out a repair and the cost will be the standard US $499 fee.   He will require your credit card details, and he then goes on to say that unfortunately the hacker may strike again, but he can install a permanent patch to ward off future intrusions and that this comes with a three year guarantee.   You are urged to make this investment for a further fee of  US $ 1458.99.

The hackers have done their investigative work well.   This message seems to be concentrated on the screens of computer owners who are aged over forty-five and who are gauged to be most likely to respond positively.   Judging from the volume of complaints lodged through the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about three hundred people a month are suffering these scam losses.

The unknown factor is exactly what malware may have been installed on the users computer while it was in the hands of a remote access scammer conducting this supposed removal of a virus.  This may be a new scam that lays dormant for months or years and it may be silently accessing banking details  and passwords and relaying these to the scammer.

When this message appears, it is often accompanied by the close down key becoming inoperative to give the impression that the virus has complete control of your computer.   You can clear this by manually closing down the computer and restarting and before any remedial action it would be wise to make contact with the supplier of the protection system you have installed in place.   They are well placed to check the authenticity of any such demands.