Really worried Ive just being scammed, please help!

[tigwig]

Just had a 30 min call from a foreighn sounding man who said he was from Windows support. He didnt know my name but asked for the owner of the house. He took me through these different files then started talking about slow perfomance and security blurb. He took me to this site which was www.pcmiles.co.uk then wanted me to buy there software to which I refused. While he was doing this though I was connected toa technician (the Norton security did say the site was safe) but someone else had control of the computer and was scanning a load of files. He got a bit arsy when I said I couldnt afford it but is this all he was doing or could they have gained access to anything on my computer? Im really worried now and have to go out in 5 mins!

[dotty.]

oh dear.

[sandyRoe]

Just a con. Don't worry.

[milly143]

I'm afraid to say I think you've been done over my love. There has been warning of a lot of these type of scams recently.

[what..the?]

do a virus scan before you leave

[ChuckFickens]

Jeez!

Do people still fall for this!

Yes you have been scammed, how on earth so you think somebody in India knows your computer is running slow, sorry not going to beat about the bush you've been taken in by an obvious scam, if somebody phones you out the blue then you don't do anything they ask you to!

Disconnect your computer from the internet, run a full scan with your proper anti virus and with mawarebytes (download it on another computer and transfer it to the infected one on a USB memory stick or similar)

[snags]

Are people really this naive?

[jake-the-peg]

Come on Chuck not everybody is that on the ball with computer scams - this is relatively new Even so just change the story and say that there is a lot of spam or IRC traffic coming from your computer and we've been asked by your ISP to talk you though cleaning up your system and it becomes quite credible to even relitivly savvy people

[tigwig]

How the hell do I do this and why did norton say the site was safe?

[milly143]

Perphaps the site they directed you to was 'safe', just not the people that run it. Or maybe your Norton isn't up to date.

[The-HouseHusband]

If you had any personnel info on the computer they will have it all by now, this is an old scam that has just started doing the rounds again, while they had remote access to your computer they would have been downloading all the files that contain info that they can use to gain things from you. It may not be money but identities and address details are needed in order to make bogus claims which will link back to your address.

[tigwig]

ok I'm naive but that doesnt help I was distracted by my baby. When I do the norton scan it says everything is fine so what happens now?

[tigwig]

so is it now not safe to do online banking, how can they access my accounts with no passwords? Do they know what im doing now?

[Bbbananas]

tiggywig wants help, not lectures on stupidity.

I can't help you tiggs, cos I'm thick when it comes to all this computer lark - but chuck will help you once he's calmed down !!

[what..the?]

disconnect for the internet for starts

[dotty.]

I would also arrange a change of passwords for your online banking as they can use your email to send for a change of password, actually that wonl;t help will it? Should she ring the bank chuck?

[Lore]

It's awful that people are doing such things, my friend fell for the bank security check email and now her card has been cloned. Bloody con artists! Hope it all turns out ok tigwig.

[what..the?]

Should she use another pc (a friends) to go online and change all her passwords?

[LoftyLottie]

Oh dear tigwig. As Salla says, hopefully chuck will guide you through what you have to do. You are not the first and you certainly won't be the last. Try to keep calm. Personally, I would change my passwords straight away for any online banking etc (before going out).

[Lore]

I'd contact your bank and ask them to cancel your online banking.

[The-HouseHusband]

As others have said make sure you are now disconnected from the internet.

Norton or any other anti-virus program can only ever look for programs it has been told to search for, some times things change in-between scheduled updates. Also is it looking for just Viruses or have you got the full suite that searches for key loggers and malware appS?

To protect things like your bank account then contact your bank and get them to change your log on details, this can be a pain but if you dont and the scammers have enough info the consequences are a lot harder to take, also by informing your bank you are covering yourself so any loss is down to the bank if they do not act on your instructions.