Microsoft warns of laptop or computer security phone scam
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011Scammers in English-speaking markets such as United States, Canada plus the UK are pretending to become computer security experts and are offering no cost security checkups, using a hidden motive to gain access to intended victims?¡¥ passwords and economic details, Microsoft warned.
Scammers make phone calls to your targeted victims and warn them of a risky security threat, and then offer you them a security checkup totally free of charge.
Microsoft?¡¥s warning surfaced after the application firm surveyed 7,000 PC users in United States, Canada, Britain and Ireland, and found that an average of 16 per cent of your surveyed individuals had received such fake calls. In Ireland the average jumped to a shocking 26 per cent.
Out with the complete 7,000 surveyed folks, more than three per cent admitted that were tricked in to the trap by scammers. Victims stated they followed the scammers?¡¥ instructions, which ranged from letting scammers remote access of their machines, and downloading malicious codes.
In some cases, victims even provided scammers with their credit card information in order to pay for purchases.
Earlier on June 7, security corporation Sophos stated, ?¡ãScareware, or fake anti-virus, is fake security software which pretends to locate dangerous security threats – such as viruses – on your laptop. The initial scan is free of charge, but if you want to clean up the fraudulently-reported “threats”, you need to pay.?¡À
Figures released by Microsoft states that 79 per cent of those tricked by the scammers suffered financial loss, together with the average loss standing at $875.