Computer Scam

[muskox]

My computer was hacked into and in trying to sort the problem out, I gave access to an Indian firm to 'fix' the problem remotely. Unfortunately the new programme recommended to fix the problem cost £184, which I paid by credit card on 11th Sept 2013. (I know, I wasn't thinking!). My personal financial information was also stored on the computer and I have cancelled these accounts or altered the passwords, also removing the details from my computer (again, I shouldn't have done this)
I have informed the Citizen Advice Bureau/Trading Standards, who will respond within three days. I am not sure whether there is anything further that can be done.

[boxtops]

Oh dear - was this one of those phone calls that so many people receive?

My emails were hacked recently but my ISP advised me straight away and was able to change my password and rectify the matter.

[boxtops]

PS check with your credit card provider, they may be able to reverse the transaction if this was a scam?

[factor-fiction]

Thanks for the warning, muskox. I remember your thread the other day:
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Question1274849.html.

Clearly people are still being caught by these scams so it's useful to remind everyone.

[boxtops]

They sound so convincing, too....

[Tuvok]

As well as a virus scan download and run malwarebytes.

When it finds anythng let it deal with them, then before you restart the clmputer turn off System Restore. Restart the computer, do another scan and only when nothing is fount turn back on System Restore - because some nasty's reload themselves from System Restore and thus reinfect you!

[factor-fiction]

I am normally very alert to scams and am familiar with all the main ones like this but I realised recently that I can still be caught out, although in my case there was no real loss but there could have been. I got a call saying they were my mobile company T mobile; they had my name and number and new my contract was due to expire within the next month or so. We negotiated a new deal whereby I kept the phone and took out another 12 months. As part of this they asked me for something like my four characters from my password as a security check; then when finalising it asked for another 4 characters. I began to have doubts afterwards and checked with T mobile. It turns out the callers were an intermediary who had called me without T mobile's agreement and had earned some form of commission for taking out a new contract for me. I didn't lose anything tangible but realise I had been caught out and could have been defrauded.

[muskox]

Cancelled my credit card straight away and they are issuing me with another one and new PIN etc. Informed the credit card company that I might be a victim of fraud and they have passed the matter on to the team dealing with this sort of thing. The operator couldn't have been more reassuring.
Recently I set up a new Bit Defender Security system. I probably did allow software to be downloaded - the whole process went on for over an hour, so I can't be sure.
Will follow your advice Methyl and Tuvok. Not quite sure how to switch off system restore, but I will google it.

[SlackAlice]

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/how-to-disable-turn-off-system-restore-in-windows-vista-or-windows-xp/

[joko]

is the remote access thing still active on your computer?

did they have you set something to allow access?

you need to be sure that is off

[muskox]

Purchased Bit Defender and installed it about a week before the problems began.
I don't think that the remote access is still operational, as the screen went black when they were 'adjusting' my programmes and then returned to its normal colour when 'they' signed off, but I don't know enough about computers to say this definitely - it might all be hidden away somewhere.

[muskox]

Thank you SlackAlice for the link.

[VHG]

NEVER NEVER NEVER pay any money to ANYONE who phones you up out the blue (what ever they may say).

After all, if you met a stranger in the street you would not hand over money to them. So why pay out money to someone who has rung YOU up (after all you did not contact them).

I got one of these calls again yesterday and let him begin his opening chat and then screamed down the phone at him to "F**K off you scamming B*****D".

[lcg]

sound advice, vhd.....i also don't know why people trust strangers or don't seek out a company/product independently if they need to sort something out. i tell cold callers and the like that i am not interested and perfectly capable of sorting out my own broccoli thank you very much.....and then use your retort as a last response if they don't go away! always, always never trust anything that is fishing for your money, be it a stranger/phone call/email/leaflet through your door. you have a computer.....do research to see if it is genuine, but then go off and find your own reputable independent person/company to sort things out.

[corneliafaust]

I understand how you feel. Must have worried you a lot when you realized that the person you provided your information to was a scammer. But don't stress yourself out. You did all that's necessary. And how about you set up a fraud alert with the 3 credit bureaus, too? These agencies can notify you if someone tries to use your information to engage in financial transactions.

[corneliafaust]

And it's important that you report the phone number to Callercenter.com to raise a warning. At the same time, file a complaint with the FTC to shut the scam down.