Cold-calling scammers are claiming that victims have a virus on their computer.
In October 2010 the Ministry of Consumer Affairs began receiving reports of a telephone-based internet scam. Scammers were cold-calling, claiming to be from Microsoft, Telecom or other large companies.
The scammers would say that the victim had a virus on their computer and guide them through a series of tasks that would "fix" it. Usually those called were directed to a website to download a program, but the program allowed the scammer access to their computer. Alternately, the victim signs up for a pay service that keeps them "protected" for an amount of time – for example, $300 for 18 months.
This scam is sometimes known as the Web Doctor Scam, from the name of the fake protection software. Rather than traditional computer viruses, which are almost random in their infection or transmit like a real-life virus, these scams prey on the gullibility and inexperience of many new users of the internet.
Luckily these types of “phishing” scams can be thwarted by simple critical thinking. Big companies, like Microsoft, will never contact you directly – and remember there’s no way an external party can "discover" anything on your computer unless you have explicitly given them access. The same goes for email correspondence. Banks will never ask for your log in details or account numbers.
If in doubt call the company yourself, before doing anything else (always using a phone number from the phonebook).
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is highlighting scams with Scam Awareness Week (Monday April 4 – Sunday April 10) to help educate New Zealanders who are losing around $448 million to scammers each year. Check out its website www.scamwatch.govt.nz, and stay safe.
More from consumer.org.nz
- Scams - our guide to what to watch out for
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We have been targeted about 3-4 times in the past week. The number coming up on our caller display is 012345625
I have had them call me a number of times now, though not for the last few weeks. I find it quite a laugh to lead them on. Normally after about five or ten minutes I advise them I am a member of the International High Technology Crime Investigation Association (www.htcia.org) at which point they always hang up suddenly. Never fails to make me smile.
These people called me a number of times even though I had told them not to. Finally, I led them on and went through the whole process with them, but saying that I couldn't see the buttons etc that they were telling me to press. After some time, I asked them if it could be because I have a MacIntosh...Silence....Then I told them that I guessed it was a scam at which the caller hung up. I guess I wasted a bit of their time which pleased me no end. I also have a Caller Display. The number displayed was 1234567890...
I too have had many calls regarding a a "virus on my computer".
Having had enough and tried many different techniques with these people I have found a way that completely stumps them.
When they ring next regarding a virus you could reply "Oh yes thank you soooooo much. You rang yesterday and FIXED the problem AND you didn't charge me a thing. Thank you so much!"(get really gushing).The conversation lasts only about 30seconds.
Rest assured the silence on the end of the phone is pure magic. There must be much head scratching and page flipping (trying to find the page for that response).
CLICK!
I have had SO MANY calls from these people - probably in excess of 20. Usually when I pick up there is a delay and when they speak they've all had strong accents (Indian?). I rang my telephone service provider and was told I had to log 4 calls for them to follow it up as a nuisance call. I was told by Telecom that Interpol was involved in trying to stop these people. There was a 6 week window when we thought it was over but then they started up again. I've even told them we don't have a computer but that doesn't seem to have made any difference! Give them points for persistance - just wish they'd persist off!!!!
Both of our phone lines at home (home office and private number) have digital answering machines as well as caller display (of a type that displays the name of our most common callers). We pickup for friends, but leave strange new callers to speak to the message machine. If we are at home we listen, and if they sound genuine, we pick up. If not, they get to leave a message and we may call them back. If the caller does not speak, they get to cool their heels till they get bored, or until the machine thanks them for their call and hangs up. Cold callers don't ring back when they recognise call screening is happening! This saves us the stress of getting rid of unwanted callers.
My mother-in-law was called and they tried for about half an hour to try what ever it is the try, she has a MAC!
LOL
Earlier this year we receieved about 10 calls. I recognised it as a scam on the first call and so I challanged them to provide me with a phone number to call back, an email address etc which they declined. On the next calls I told them I would call the police if they kept calling (which they did).
On the tenth call my wife got a referees whistle and blew it loudly into the phone when they called, for some reason they never called back :-)