Scam alert: Don’t fall for telephone call from ‘Windows’ service technicians
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013, 11:30 a.m. — If you receive a phone call regarding viruses, errors or spyware on your Windows computer, be aware of a telephone scam that targets computer users and their pocketbooks.
The scam starts like this: You receive a phone call from an individual with a heavy accent who tells you they are an authorized service firm that has received reports your Windows computer is infected with a variety of viruses and malware. You are asked to go to your computer so they can show you the problems with your computer.
Following a detailed script, you are carefully instructed to hit the “Windows” button on your keyboard and then make your way to the Windows “Run” dialog box. You are instructed to type in “eventvwr” in the box and click “OK.” This will open the Event Viewer window, and you are instructed to click on “System” in the left-hand panel.
This brings up a long list of items — events — named “Information” and “Error.” In one of the phone calls I fielded, the “service technician” told me all of these events were proof my computer was open to hackers and viruses, telling me that my computer was “leaking informations.”
The scammers will instruct the victim to open the Event Viewer window. Click to enlarge.
The scammer gave me detailed instructions to open another window to show me more “proof” of the seriousness of the infections in my computer. As I read him what “evidence” appeared on my computer, after each time I spoke he injected “Oh my God! Oh my God!”
With this “proof,” the “service tech” gave me the sales pitch — to fix these errors, all I needed to do was to give them remote access to my computer. At this point I terminated the phone call; he called me right back. Obviously he wanted to try to complete the scam since I had gone along with the first part.
The rest of the scam is that once they have access to your computer, they will ask you to pay for the service they offer — in most cases it is $299. For your convenience, they will open a web browser window for you to make the payment via Paypal.
In the past month I have received three of these phone calls; apparently these scammers are finding willing computer users to victimize. But make no mistake about it — these guys are only out to separate you from your money. They will show you non-existent problems on your computer with the hope they can convince you their “services” are necessary.
If you want to mess with these guys and waste their time, be careful: In one instance, after the scammers realized they were being jerked around by their intended victim, they used remote access to delete files and folders on the victim’s computer.
The best option is to hang up on these scammers if they call you. Under no circumstances should you allow them to have remote access to your computer; in fact, I would be wary of giving anyone that kind of access.
This isn’t a new scam; but the fact it remains an active one is proof that they are having success finding victims.
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