Over the last two years, the numbers of fraudulent phone calls to residents in our community and beyond have increased exponentially. These calls are designed to play upon the fears of the person receiving the call. The caller may claim to be from a number of different organizations, businesses or government agencies, with the goal of obtaining personal information or money from the victim.
Some of the agencies mentioned in such calls are the Internal Revenue Service, Department of Motor Vehicles, Microsoft, Windows, Google or the victim’s own personal bank or credit card service provider. The purpose of this article is to help educate the public on what to expect from a caller claiming to be from a computer or technology company such as Microsoft, Google or your own Internet Service Provider.
Firstly, Microsoft and Google will never call and make the claim that someone’s computer is infected or full of errors that are being detected by the caller’s servers or computers. This should be the first indication that you are receiving a fraudulent call. The caller will ask you to sit down at your computer and go through a number of steps eventually resulting in the caller asking for permission to remotely access, or “control” your computer.
Once the caller has control of your computer, they can easily install malicious software or lock you out of your own computer or files. In many cases, the only option available is to pay the “ransom” demanded by the caller to unlock your computer or gain access to your files. These types of malicious takeovers are appropriately called “ransomware” or “cryptoware.”
Many large organizations have fallen victim to such scams including police departments, hospitals, schools and government agencies. In most cases, it is less costly to pay the scammers than it is to regain access to the files or computer through traditional mean.
With most modern cases of ransomware or cryptoware, the scammer requires the ransom to be paid with pre-paid visa cards, or Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a relatively new form of digital currency used by individuals engaged in sophisticated or illegal activities on the internet.
Here are some steps to prevent such a hostile takeover of your files or computer:
If the caller claims to be from your Internet Service Provider, ask them to submit their request in writing to your address they have on file.
If you receive a written letter, do not call the phone number listed in the correspondence. Rather, call the number printed on your monthly bill and ask if the letter is legitimate.
If the caller claims to be from a software or computer business like Microsoft or Google, and claims they are receiving information being sent from your computer, it is almost assuredly a scam.
If the caller claims to be from a government agency such as the IRS, DMV or even a law enforcement agency, do not provide any personal information. Ask that all correspondence be sent via the United States Postal Service. In the case of law enforcement, ask that an officer be sent to your residence or location to confirm the validity of the call.
And lastly, if you are still concerned, contact a knowledgeable friend, co-worker, family member, local police department or industry professional, such as a computer repair company.
You may report such incidents to your local police department. However, most calls originate overseas and are out of the jurisdiction of your local law enforcement agency. The call may appear to originate in the United States, but through modern digital telephone technology, these calls can virtually come from anywhere in the world.
