This afternoon I got a call from a company called e pro solutions asking to talk to me about my computer, guessing it was a scam (read on) I said I didn't know what they were talking about and they hung up. Apparently they were going to tell me that windows had contacted them because my machine has a virus on it (it hasn't) and they could get rid of it for me - that's what i've found out since. I guessed it was a scam as they only asked for me by my first name, which is the only bit of personal information on my machine and said machine did have a virus on it a few weeks ago which avg took care of for free, plus my computer is not linked to the phone line as I only use mobile broadband. I'm guessing that maybe they were responsible for the virus a few weeks ago, got my phone number from a site registration or email. Anyway if you get the same thing tell them to 'fuck off'.
well first off, e-pro solutions is a remote access host. they offer apps the give you remote access to your home/office pc form other devices. so maybe you downloaded and installed 1 of there apps.
they could know the name of your pc is if they have remote access to it. which is probably what they wanted you to do.
they couldn't know your pc was infected with any virus that is found or submitted to avg as no personal identifiable info is sent when a detection is made.
microsoft/windows wont give your details to any third party because they don't have them. when you install windows you don't put in your name your address or any other personal info, you just put in the key and click activate.
the only potential identifiable info m.s may have on you is the key that is generated off your system config (it takes firmware info and creates a system hash that can be used to check if a pc has been modified since the last install) which is then attached to your personal key for windows. and stored on there activation database.
viruses: destroy information they don't connect to the web and distribute it.
keyloggers: log passwords and personal infos, then upload to a given host or ip. these are often classed as trojans by antiviruses and will often be installed with cracked or pirated software, but are most prevalent on websites.
(no script for firefox will help cut down on these as well as other malware webscripts).
trojans: can do the same as both of the above, but more often give remote access to your pc via a backdoor.
most good rated antimalware apps will find these and block them (preferably something with active scanning)
worms: are similar to viruses except they inhabit the net, they travel from machine to machine via open or unsecured ip/ports they dont need a host program to be delivered so they often don't get classified as a trojan.( a good firewall is essential)
dialers: change proxy configurations or attach outgoing connections to your web connection software (winsock) often they will call premium rate hosts and stay connected (especially nasty if you have limited usage/pay as you go browsing/or a dial up connection). again good antimalware apps like malwarebytes/emsisoft antimalware (my personal choice) will detect these.
i would also recommend that if you can afford a payed full antivirus, antimalware, and firewall then look at kaspersky all in 1
understand im not being patronizing here, im giving you this info to put your mind at rest.
This seems the best place for this sort of enquiry...
A friend of mine (older and recently widowed) was scammed yesterday in much the same way as above. The scammer claimed to be from Microsoft. She was prompted to give a password for her computer and the scammer then took control of her PC and cleaned out her bank account. She contacted me and I advised her to unplug the broadband connection and leave the PC off until I can get a look at it tomorrow.
I'm fairly good at computers but I've not come across this sort of thing before. Can anyone offer any advice on how to proceed? I believe she has McAfee anti-virus software though I would doubt it has been updated.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Hi
Forum Sty_e
Overall, the best product I've found is Malwarebytes.
I've tried pretty much all of them and recently dispensed with AVG after their latest screw-up (a bug in their update manager made many XP, Vista and some Windows 7 PCs unbootable). This - and the fact it's a resource hog - finally made me dump AVG.
Malwarebytes isn't expensive and it's database is very thorough.
I also use Spybot Search & Destroy sometimes as it's good with trackers and the like.
Microsoft Security Essentials has had some decent reviews and it's free (you just need to verify you've got a genuine copy of Windows).
Hope that's some help.
MeT
(02-08-2011 17:16 )Forum Sty_e Wrote: [ -> ]This seems the best place for this sort of enquiry...
A friend of mine (older and recently widowed) was scammed yesterday in much the same way as above. The scammer claimed to be from Microsoft. She was prompted to give a password for her computer and the scammer then took control of her PC and cleaned out her bank account. She contacted me and I advised her to unplug the broadband connection and leave the PC off until I can get a look at it tomorrow.
I'm fairly good at computers but I've not come across this sort of thing before. Can anyone offer any advice on how to proceed? I believe she has McAfee anti-virus software though I would doubt it has been updated.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Had this call about 12 months ago, apparently its been around a while and is growing.Fortunatly I cottoned on before they got far and after checking online discovered it was a scam.
Apparently they get your name and number from a phonebook or computer retailer with home pc's commonplace now and most using Windows I'm sure they get a good hit percentage,Seems they guide you to your computers event log where you see a page full of error reports(every computer has them) they then take you to a website where they ask you to allow them remote access to your PC and they can download anything and ask for a fee to fix these 'problems'
Article from the Guardian last year
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul...ll-centres
i my mum kept phone calls about the pc at their house and she kept asking who they were and something about repairs or something.
malwarebates, avast, superanit spyware are the ones i use and they do a decent job.
fs i am sorry to hear about your friend. i hope she is ok. and the police catch the bastards who are behind it.
(02-08-2011 20:51 )bigguy01 Wrote: [ -> ]fs i am sorry to hear about your friend. i hope she is ok. and the police catch the bastards who are behind it.
Would be nice, though I won't hold my breath. Couldn't have come at a worse time really, her husband only died last week. She's not great, very upset obviously. Don't know how these scammers sleep at night.
Thanks for your suggestions guys, I'll take everything onboard and see what I can do.
All this reminds me of a programme on BBCThree "The Real Hustle" where sometimes they are sat in a van just down the street and gain access using WI-FI. I might be wrong, but it all sounds very similar to me. But you've all given me ideas on the sort of software to get when I get a laptop, so thanks for the ideas and heads up on this scam.
if some 1 phones you up and asks for your name, number, and password its a scam. simple as that. they can claim to be from any company you care to imagine but they always ask the same queations.,and always ask for your service provider and password.
give niether out to any 1 that calls you.
your isp may ask you for a password but never if they call you.
they will only ask it if you call them... this is standard practice.
this is all the advice you need give. just remind any 1 you give it to, that a legitimate company wont mind giving you there number so you can call them back. if they refuse hang up and dial 1471 on a bt line and report it to the police.
if you know any silver surfers please pass these basic tips on to them as they are the easiest targets for this kind of fraud.
malware bytes is 1 of the better antimalware programs out there.
the free version doesnt support active scanning so wont protect you while your surfing unless you upgrade to the payed version, or get a key.
if you do use malwarebytes in any form make sure you back it up with a good antivirus as malware bytes isnt an antivirus.
a great free 1 is avira. i have used both apps for 13 months for MWB and 4 years for Avira...
suites to stay away from...
Norton and macfee
not that they dont work, because they do. but because they are the most attacked.
if sum1 is gonna write a malware they will often use these 2 as there basline for an exploit.
basicaly use routines that they know these programs will miss.
1s to stay away from because there useless.
Avast,
AVG,
bulldog security,
comodo (although comodo do produce 1 of the best if not the best firewalls)
and any IOBIT antimalware/virus apps.
a highly recomended and cheap antivirus and antimalware suite is kaspersky pure (also known as KIS or KAV )it costs as little as 13.99 for a year and will protect up to 3 pc's for that price. with a 98% catch rate is is the second best suite out there. if you want better you will have to pay x5 the price for a buisness class suite. other recomended are bit defender and NOD32 but both would be best used with another 3rd party app like malware bytes.
the only antimalware i know of at the moment (thats not an antivirus) with free active scanning is super anti spyware, all i can say is its reasonable but not as good as MWB.
Spybot S&D is a browser imuniser as well as trojan hunter if your suffering slow browsing and hijacks this will work well.
take 1 from each selection and your system should be nearly bullet proof... like i say with my current config i havent had an infection in over a year. so i can recomend it without worry. the reason i can say this with such confidence is that i do not surf safe... i often download as much as 20 gigs per night 365 of the year, with 0 infections...
but as always the best antivirus is you. surf safe and most AV's will work well enough. for email and surfing.
so basicaly just remeber you DON'T give out your admin password. your log on password. your router wep and wap codes or any other passwords that are associated with your pc to any 1 that calls you... even if they say there from your isp...
i use zonealarm has my firewall. avast has realtime scan and protection and will not load any site which it thinks will infect your computer.
http://www.download.com has all the software to protect your computer with their reviews and ratings also user reviews and ratings.