Originally hosted @ botcrawl.com Author: Sean Doyle Microsoft Phone Support ScamsIf you receive an unsolicited phone call from an unknown person claiming to be from Microsoft and further stating that multiple issues have been detected on your computer, including computer viruses, malware, and trojans hang up – this is a scam! These phone calls are fake! Microsoft will not call you, Microsoft does not operate personal computer security in such a manner. It is true that Microsoft Windows will send anonymous crash reports (etc.) if a user chooses the option; however, the anonymous information collected in such reports does not give Microsoft access to your telephone number.
The video below published by Malwarebytes explains how the Microsoft Phone Support scam works. A cyber criminal made the mistake of attempting to scam a security researcher at Malwarebytes earlier this year and he managed to capture the ordeal:
What to do if someone calls you claiming to be from MicrosoftIf someone calls you claiming to be from Microsoft you should immediately hang up and scan your computer for malware, including spyware that may have initially given the scam artists your contact information. Instructions to automatically detect and remove malware is detailed further below. Other recommendations:
What to do if you fell victim to the Microsoft Phone Support ScamIf you fell victim to the Microsoft Phone Support Scam and paid for services or allowed criminals remote access to your computer system, take down information about the incident and contact the local authorities. You should also contact your bank and credit card provider(s) to dispute any made charges and alert them of the scam. Your bank or credit institution can provide further safety instructions. Rest your passwords! All of them! Reset your computer administrative password and all user accounts active on the operating system. Also reset your social media account passwords, email passwords, and more for safe measure. Uninstall any unwanted software installed on your computer. If you installed AMMYY or similar remote administrative tools make sure they are removed. Perform a full system scan of your computer using reputable software:1. Install the free or paid version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software.
2. Once Malwarebytes is installed, run the program. If you are using the free version of Malwarebytes you will be prompted to update the database, please do so. 3. Navigate to the first tab labeled “Scanner” and select the Perform full scan option. Click the Scan button to perform a full system scan. Malwarebytes will automatically detect malware that has infected your computer system. 4. Once the full system scan is complete, Malwarebytes may prompt a message stating malicious objects were detected. Select the malicious objects and click the Remove Selected button to completely remove the malicious files from your computer (the image below shows a file that is NOT selected). Thanks for reading this helpful article,
and please give us a call @ 219-595-2524 if you have any questions.
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1. Make sure your wireless antenna is plugged in (desktop), and turned on (laptop/desktop). More in section X1.
2. Disconnect and reconnect to your wireless network, by clicking on the signal-strength indicator, selecting your network, and clicking "disconnect". Wait a few seconds, repeat, and click "connect". 3. Does you wireless signal-strength indicator have an exclamation point on it? This usually indicates a software problem, and/or a problem with your access point. More information in section X3. 4. Tried everything so far, but no luck? This can happen when the network settings or driver associated with a particular adapter have been modified. This usually happens as a result of a virus or malware infection. The quickest thing you can do is uninstall the wireless adapter. Refer to section X4. 5. If none of the previous methods have resolved your problem, you may have a malware / virus infection, or your hardware may be failing. Contact a local expert for further assistance. If you would like to troubleshoot further, please refer to our virus removal guide. We hope this has been helpful. Happy computing! Click "Read More" for sections X1-X4 We know the difference. It's time to give you some pointers. Many customers don't know what to look for in a company when getting their computer(s) repaired.
Often they will settle for what appears to be the best value. Unfortunately, this also means that morally questionable tactics could be used to take advantage of the customer. Here's one example: A customer calls around, and finds that Johnny's fix it shop is only charging $49 for virus removal. This is in comparison to others that charge anywhere from $79-295. What should be immediately apparent is that their prices are no where near the going rates of other companies, and this in itself should raise a red flag. No matter how much they try to make their service sound great, be extremely skeptical. They're most likely that cheap for a reason- because they don't value their own abilities enough to ask for more money. At the other end of the spectrum, you've got a company who claims to be professional, asking an arm and a leg for the repairs- stay away from them also. This usually implies some form of "professional arrogance" and they are also not in-touch with their surroundings. What you want is a company that is competitively priced. But is the price alone enough for you to make a selection? Of course not. Once you narrow your search down to a few local companies who seem reasonable, give them a call and... ASK QUESTIONS. Don't be afraid to take up their time. This is an opportunity for you to see how they treat their customers. The more questions you ask, the more informed you will be not only about how they will go about the repairs, but also how they react to answering a ton of questions (Most computer technicians will really show their true colors in this situation). If you can find a company that values your time as much as theirs, and isn't afraid to tell you exactly what they're going to do with your computer, you have a winner. Once you feel confident they are the right fit for you, tell them you'll call back and google their company name. If you can find reviews, check them out. If you can't, that could mean that people haven't had a good enough experience to take the time out of their day to help spread good intel about the company, or that it wasn't bad enough to smear their reputation- if this is true, use your instinct or choose another company you're comfortable with that has good reviews. After you feel you've made the right choice, and hopefully it's us, you should be in good hands. If you'd ever like to compare prices, methods, and company mojo, give us a call, we're always here to help. Gone are the days of abusive marketing. Google wants you to think less like a marketer, and more like a customer.I'll be the first to admit, I personally used just about every method imaginable to manipulate search engine results. If you've come accustomed to using black-hat SEO methods, it's time to change. The good news: Your customers (and google) will love you. Have your cake and share it, too.I'd love to say "just build a website or SEO campaign designed to give your customer(s) the best possible experience", but then I'd sound just like Google. Here's the truth, though: They're right, and that statement should pretty much sum up your new approach, with one exception. Continue to seek domination. Common-sense? Maybe, but finding the right balance isn't always a piece of cake. When I undertook building this website, I started using my old methods, with a few new twists. I found that on week 4, the site was already on page 1, and ranking at the top for several relevant search terms. Naturally, I thought to myself, "Let's make it even stronger, bigger, and better", but after doing so, I watched the ranks drop like crazy. This happened because I was over-optimizing. I became so obsessed with the rankings, that I lost sight of the bigger picture. I forgot that Google doesn't appreciate that kind of approach any more. After that disaster, I decided to forward another domain I own to the new site, and something curious happened. The new domain, shy of keywords and SEO-related jibber-jabber, overtook the original "optimized" one. It is almost as if Google has implemented a new, mind-reading algorithm that allows them to detect the very moment someone intends to manipulate their search results. I was using almost every tool known to man, and everything said I was golden, when in fact I wasn't even close. I didn't know it yet, but I had just created my own personal Titanic of a website. This site was sinking, and sinking fast. I decided to do an experiment, which some of you probably saw on Facebook. I decided to create a new website, for our SEO services, under the code-name Silvershark. The website would use a keyword-based web address, title, and description, but the main goal was to create an experience that the end-user would find engaging, and easy to use. I would only spend 4 hours on the site, and I wouldn't over-optimize. The content had some bold and italic tags, but wasn't over the top, and the alt tags weren't even optimized for SEO. 4 weeks later, the results were in, and they were great. Several relevant search terms took you straight to us on page 1, in either the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th slot (our other website beat it for the better positions). This was excellent, considering we were competing with other SEO companies in the area, and it was done in under 4 hours. Since then, I've optimized it a tad, but I've learned the fine line between optimizing a page for your customer, and optimizing it to get search results. More and more, I'm seeing that companies who aren't even trying to get rank, get it. The new Google is going to drive marketers mad, because as they seek to beat the competition through optimization (SEO), they start to walk the razor-thin line between success and an absolute disaster. Some more tips and information:
Fact: Installing "tune-up" software is known to put you at risk, and usually makes your computer run even slower.Why? Because malware "activists" know you're willing to try just about anything. Let's uncover some effective, and free tools you can use to reclaim your computer's true potential.The following software products are designed to:
Alleviate errors, reduce loading times, increase stability, and optimize your file system. Never install any software unless you are positive it is safe. Give us a call if you have any questions. Choosing the right antivirus softwareChoosing the right antivirus software can be challenging, unless you've tried them all.
Fortunately for you, we have! You know we don't like to beat around the bush, right? So let's get to it. Our stance: Utilizing good, anti-virus software in this day and age, is extremely important. What most people don't know: Many commercial products are mostly fluff- they spend a ton of money on marketing something that barely does what it's supposed to, and they sell a ton of it. Don't buy the hype, get something that performs. We're here to cut through the confusion and give you our personal favorites. |
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