Tech Support Scams.

They claim to be Internet security watchdogs offering help with a computer virus you mistakenly downloaded. Their real intention: to get remote access to your files.

It’s the “tech support scam,” a ruse that has made headlines overseas and now is quietly targeting computer users in this country.

It starts with a phone call from someone claiming to be from a software provider such as Microsoft, Norton or McAfee, or your computer’s manufacturer. (Other callers say they represent Support on Click, a firm based in India.) You are told that your computer has a virus and may be in danger of losing all stored data, but the caller can help avoid that—if you follow his instructions.
Don’t take the bait.
“What they usually try to do is get you to download software that they say will fix the virus,” says Paul Aziz, who runs a computer repair business in Lebanon, Ore., and teaches older users about Internet security at Linn-Benton Community College.
“What that software really does is give them remote access to your computer and everything on it—your passwords, online banking accounts, everything.”
In some cases, users are directed to the website www.logmein123.com, which gives the hackers remote access to your computer, allegedly to “fix the problem.” Or they may ask you to provide your user name and password.

How are users targeted? Their names and phone numbers can be accessed from online telephone directories. Some calls may be made with an auto-dialer that calls numbers in sequence.
Charlotte Brooks of Bedminster, N.J., received several such calls from men with foreign accents saying they worked for her “computer monitoring firm.” “When I asked which firm, at least three correctly guessed Norton; the others fudged,” she told Scam Alert. “Each said it was extremely urgent that we go online immediately so he could help us get rid of this virus by letting him have remote access to our computer. When I sent an e-mail to Norton about this, they had no idea what I was talking about.”
Be on the alert for signs of trouble:

• The warning that you have a computer virus comes to you by telephone or e-mail. If a real virus is ever detected, you’re likely to receive a security update or warning directly on your computer.

• Callers try to sell subscriptions for “computer monitoring” or “security services.” Giving hackers your credit card information creates an added danger.

• When you answer the call, you hear a ringing tone. That indicates a callback system that could result in expensive long-distance charges to you, since these posers often call from Europe or Asia.

If you believe you’ve already fallen for a phony tech support scam, contact a computer repair company to stop the hackers’ remote access. Also notify your bank and credit card companies, and monitor your statements for any unauthorized charges.

Sid Kirchheimer is the author of Scam-Proof Your Life, published by AARP Books/Sterling.