How to avoid all those computer and internet scams
starts by one of two ways: you get an unsolicited phone call out of the blue or you get an alert pop-up on your computer that’s hard to close and may also have an audio recording that’s played. Either way, you’re usually told your computer or internet connection has some sort critical issues, like you have viruses or have been hacked. Those are just lies to scare you. Typically, the scammer also says they’re from Microsoft or are Microsoft certified to sound official.
The scammer usually has you download something so they can remotely see and take control of your computer. After that, they may show you so called evidence that your computer has the issues they’re talking about. Though they might not at first, at some point they’ll ask for money, and if you deny they might threaten to lock or crash your computer.
If you ever get an unsolicited phone call similar to what I’ve described, I suggest telling them that you’ll contact a local computer repair company and then simply hang up. Never follow their instructions or provide payment details. They’ll say some very convincing things of why they need to help you right then, but just ignore them. If in doubt, call a local computer or IT company and ask for their advice. If you ever get an alert like I described that pops up on your computer, don’t call the phone number it says to call or click on anything to proceed. If you hear an audio recording, you can simply turn down the volume or turn off the speakers. If you can’t find out how to close the alert, call a local computer or IT company and ask for their advice.
If you or someone else you know fell victim to a scam similar to what I described and a payment was made to the scammers, notify the bank and they may refund the money due to it being fraudulent. I also suggest having the computer examined by a professional to ensure there are no viruses or remote access programs left after the scam.
To help avoid these types of scams, be very careful when clicking on advertisements. If you aren’t sure of a website or online store, research it before downloading or purchasing from them. Ignore any virus or performance alerts that appear to be advertisements displayed in websites. Even consider blocking all ADs using a browser add-on like Adblock Plus.
Also, be wary of sponsored search results. Most search engines, even the popular Google, Yahoo, and MSN, display sponsored or paid results in most searches you perform. These sponsored results usually are usually displayed on the top and bottom of the real results. If you look closely, you can usually notice a difference in how they are displayed from the real results. Some search engines even display the word AD next to them. I don’t suggest clicking on these sponsored results since it’s possible for scammers to imitate real companies and organizations and send you to their website instead of the one you want.
Keep in mind, there are many fake antivirus and PC cleaning programs out there that once installed will bombard you with excessive alerts. Don’t purchase anything from these types of programs. Legit antivirus and cleaning programs won’t bombard you with alerts or pop-ups that are hard to close.