Internet Scam !

[Wundahoo]

This should be in "Off Topic" but I have posted it here because of the higher number of readers.

My 72 year old friend got scammed on Friday. The scammers cleaned out her bank account and have downloaded malware onto her computer.

Please be aware of this scam which is still operating in Australia. It's an oldie but clearly there are still people who are caught by them. They have NO SCRUPLES and certainly no regard for whom they target.

The callers usually have a foreign accent but will give English-style names eg in this instance "Wendy Fitzgerald".

The caller will say that they are from Microsoft Windows Service Centre. They may say that they are "government backed" and will give phone numbers that can be checked to determine their authenticity. They will tell the person that their computer is infected with a virus and is transmitting a large number of viruses and MUST be fixed.

They are VERY persistant and insistant and for older people or those who are not internet savvy they are believable.

My poor, (now VERY $$ poor) elderly friend was sceptical at first and actually rang one of the numbers supplied. She spoke to a person who confirmed the story and repeated the fact that her computer was transmitting viruses and that it MUST stop. She was told that Microsoft had an obligation to help keep the internet clean and safe and that they were there to help her rectify the problems on her computer !!! Oh yeah baby !!!!

The original caller rang back and my friend was convinced to allow the process to continue. She was even convinced to allow the caller to remotely access her computer "to make it easier" for them to help her !!!

On Saturday morning my friend checked her bank account only to find that there was $1.00 remaining !

This is a totally despicable act, especially at this time of the year. Apart from the empty bank account, this poor lady now has to go through the tasks of getting her computer cleaned up to clear the malware that has been downloaded, change her banking details, change passwords etc etc. The bank has told her that tracing the money trail could be difficult and at best will take several weeks.

Today several of us will spend time to help her out of this mess.

Please make sure that all your friends especially older ones, or those who are not internet savvy, are aware of this scam and others like it. Dont assume that they know, because there are still many who dont know or who trust people. My friend was one of them..... now she knows, only she learnt about it the hard way !!

They are scum of the earth and I hope where ever they are Karma finds them !!

Edited December 15, 2013 by Wundahoo

[DobieMum]

They're doing the rounds at the moment, they even called my silent number. Soon as I heard Microsoft I hung up on them. I hope poor Microsoft never has to ring me as they won't get through.

[pirate]

They rang us insisted that they could see our computer had problems. Let them ramble on, eventually told them that we didn't have a computer. They weren't happy.

[Wundahoo]

I've had them call me a few times and so the fun begins !!

I thank them very much for their concern and say that it's so very nice that they want to help me.....using my best innocent voice. I tell them that they sound like a very nice person while they continue to tell me how they are going to help me !!

Again I say that it's lovely that they are SOOOOO concerned about my computer and that they are wonderful for being so helpful...... then I say that they must have been raised very well by their parents because they are so well spoken and obviously such a kind person.

I then ask them if they love their parents .... of course the answer is always "yes"..... gotcha !!!

Then I tell them that I know it's a scam and that they are bringing shame on their family, especially their parents by doing something so despicable .... their parents must be horrified at what their children are up to..... or are their parents as rotten to the core as they are !!! CLICK goes the line !!

It's fun playing with them !!!

[cavNrott]

Do they ask for credit card details and the password? How did they go about cleaning out the elderly lady's bank account.

I think if they called me I wouldn't be able to resist leading them on.

[tdierikx]

I got sworn at by one of those "Microsoft" scammers... after I let them ramble on and try to show me all the viruses on my computer.

Apparently they talk you through bringing up all of your *.inf files and then tell you that the inf means "infected".

*.inf files are actually information files that allow your drivers and such to load up properly... which is what I told the scammer...

Then she told me to get effed and hung up on me!

T.

[Wundahoo]

Do they ask for credit card details and the password? How did they go about cleaning out the elderly lady's bank account.

I think if they called me I wouldn't be able to resist leading them on.

How much I play with them depends on how busy I am at the time..... sometimes I just tell them to get an honest job and hang up, other times I'm in the mood for a game and have the time so it's game on !! I think that the longer I keep them busy chasing my bait, the less time they have to hook another person wo might fall for their line.

I dont personally know how they access accounts, I've never allowed it to get too far along the line, but in the case of my friend they apparently asked her for the passwords to her credit card and banking system. This apparently was happening while they had remote access to her computer. She told me that she did ask why they were doing this and she was told that it was nothing for her to be concerned about, that it was all a part of the "normal process".

Unfortunately this is where she might have some trouble with the bank because she willingly gave the information to the scammers, not that she knew at the time that they were fleecing her but she did voluntarily give them access and passwords.

[Guest hankodie]

Reminds me of this:

[Kirislin]

Will they be able to recover their money, have they notified the bank? they need to do that immediately

[Wundahoo]

Will they be able to recover their money, have they notified the bank? they need to do that immediately

She went to her bank as soon as I told her that she had been scammed. The bank has taken all the necessary action regarding passwords and access etc, and has taken a statement from her. They have told her that they will attempt to trace the transactions that were not made by her but that this could be a slow process and could take up to six weeks. If they cant trace the money trail it might be difficult for them to reverse the transactions. She is under the impression that she will get her money back but I have an uneasy feeling about it simply because she willingly gave these people access to her computer and the necessary passwords to do what they did.

Fingers crossed that she gets her money. In general terms it's not a huge amount but to her it's all that she had !!

[Wundahoo]

Reminds me of this:

[twodoggies2001]

They rang us insisted that they could see our computer had problems. Let them ramble on, eventually told them that we didn't have a computer. They weren't happy.

That's exactly what I do. Tell them there is no computer in the house. I had one very insistent caller who said that I MUST surely have a laptop. Or the other good one is tell them you have an Apple computer after they have done the whole spiel.

[twodoggies2001]

I've had them call me a few times and so the fun begins !!

I thank them very much for their concern and say that it's so very nice that they want to help me.....using my best innocent voice. I tell them that they sound like a very nice person while they continue to tell me how they are going to help me !!

Again I say that it's lovely that they are SOOOOO concerned about my computer and that they are wonderful for being so helpful...... then I say that they must have been raised very well by their parents because they are so well spoken and obviously such a kind person.

I then ask them if they love their parents .... of course the answer is always "yes"..... gotcha !!!

Then I tell them that I know it's a scam and that they are bringing shame on their family, especially their parents by doing something so despicable .... their parents must be horrified at what their children are up to..... or are their parents as rotten to the core as they are !!! CLICK goes the line !!

It's fun playing with them !!!

I love this lol

[Boronia]

I tell them that one of their colleagues phoned me yesterday and the computer is going fantastically well now, better than ever and that I am very happy with their service, I keep talking about how wonderful they are until they hang up on me

[Dame Aussie]

This has been going on for ages, all banks have statements saying they will never ask for your passwords or other personal details. I'm surprised people are still getting tricked

[RallyValley]

Some good reading material. It may pay to provide the number to elderly friends and get them to call before they provide personal details over the phone.

http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/693900

[Wundahoo]

It's awful that these scumbags are still able to find innocent people to rip off, and yes, it is surprising that there are still people who dont know about this one in particular...... but it's is exactly why I have posted this thread.

Hopefully it will remind us to mention the subject to friends and family who may be open to becoming victims of these lowlife oxygen thieves.

Obviously if these calls are still being recieved frequently by those of us who DO know about it, there must still be a reasonable "catch quota" for them otherwise they wouldnt bother with such an elaborate set up or keep up with the same old story.

It must still be reasonably succesful for them.

Aussie3, it wasnt the bank that asked for the passwords and account details it was the scammer, who had completely convinced my friend that this was OK and legitimate and a necessary part of the process.

RV one of the things that I will be doing for my friend, once her computer has been cleaned of any malware downloads, is to set up links to Scamwatch and Scamnet as well as an abbreviated summary of some of the common phone and internet scams.

I think that internet and phone fraud or scamming is something that we should all bear in mind when our older friends and relatives get onto the net.

For some senior citizens internet involvement is all about confidence and unfortunately something like this can really rock an older person. Most who are victims of this sort of thing begin to regard everything and anyone with suspicion and it isnt a nice way for a person to feel. It certainly reduces their opportunity and desire to participate and communicate via the net.

Trust is an important commodity in life but too much trust can be detrimental, just as no trust at all is not a good thing either.

[persephone]

I blow a whistle into the phone.

It is such a shame that older folk get caught up like this

[*Avanti*]

I tell them I haven't got a computer. :D

[Loving my Oldies]

I blow a whistle into the phone.

I suggested that once on this forum and I was accused of being a dreadful person, hurting, bursting and god knows what, eardrums. You'd think I'd suggested poking out their eardrums with a knitting needle

It is such a shame that older folk get caught up like this

There are plenty of people who don't use computers at work and may decide to get one at home. If someone isn't a frequent or confident user, I imagine it would be very easy to be taken in.