Scammed Again
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
Canada
January 2, 2016 3:04pm CST
My husband is a great guy and smart, too. However, he's not all that smart when it comes to technology, especially computers. He uses the computer a lot, but he is often boggled by how things work.
For instance today he fell for that blue screen scam that tells you your computer is infected and you need to call a certain number to get help. He phoned the number. Luckily it was busy. Then he came to get my help.
The fact it was a scam was obvious to me. For one thing, there were a few spelling mistakes in the message. There were some other tell tale signs, too.
I quickly googled the phone number to be sure and showed him the many comments about the scam that have been recorded. That helped.
I'm writing this to warn others about being careful about these scams. His error message popped up while browsing Youtube. If you do get through to the number on your screen, a person will try to convince you that you need to buy their program to get rid of the virus. You don't need their help at all. Just force quit the browser you are in and the message should disappear. Be sure to check that you have updated your virus and malware protection on your computer, too.
I hope you don't have to deal with this ever, but it's important to not panic if you do.
45 people like this
40 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
2 Jan 16
I am so glad he came to you or else who knows what he would have got on the other end of that phone. Yes thanks for sharing as not everyone can know this stuff. One has to be very careful.
6 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
2 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Absolutely they do Sheila.
3 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Yep you really have to watch as these scammers are smart but guess what some of us are smart also in not falling for those things. @TiarasOceanView
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
2 Jan 16
Years ago we were traveling and I fell for it, thank Gold nothing bad came of it but my computer guy gave me a lecture about calling him if that ever happened again.
5 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
2 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 And they scare you - I just shut the computer off and all was well.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
2 Jan 16
It's so easy to think it's your own computer giving you the message, but it's not. It's a website trying to get people to fork out their money.
3 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
3 Jan 16
Some time ago my husband was using the internet and all of a sudden he got message saying that his computer had been blocked because he had been using an illegal site. According to the message had to pay a fine in order to unblock his computer. He couldn't close the message and he panicked.
He had to switch off the computer to get rid of the message. When he opened it again the computer worked. I told him to do an extra antivirus scan, he did and he hasn't had any problems since that time. There are different versions of this scam, but they are all trying to get money in one way of another.
2 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Yes that is another scam that has been going around. @Porcospino
2 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
That's really mean. It plays on guilt as well as fear.
2 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
2 Jan 16
There are many incidents like this. What always makes me angry is when you download valid software from genuine sites only to have junk downloaded and things like browser settings changed if you are not careful. Yes it may be easy to install the App, but there are some people who simply should not be allowed to perform the update because they don't pay attention to the questions asked.
3 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 agreed, but my point was that there are some people who should never perform installations.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Jan 16
I had other malware for a bit, and I asked my computer person about it as I had malware protection installed. He told me it doesn't do anything if we agree that things are added on, and that often it happens without us paying attention, like you said, when downloading valid programs.
2 people like this
@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
2 Jan 16
a timely reminder thank you...., I learned a long time ago not to respond to those ..., but the more people that know...the better...
I'm glad thd line was busy and your husband did'nt fall into the trap....
I'm glad thd line was busy and your husband did'nt fall into the trap....4 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (82798)
• United States
3 Jan 16
There's so many scams out there that I'm always leery. It's so easy to get caught in a scam these days
3 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
That's so true @Marilynda1225 . It's especially true when you're tired.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
11 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Or when something really is wrong with your computer.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
3 Jan 16
I have gotten stuck years ago with various viruses. At that time my son helped me wipe them out. I am online and read warnings like yours enough to be safe now.
2 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
If you've been burnt once, the memory lingers.
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
Anyone can fall for a scam so all we can do is to be vigilant. Another scam was a site that was a mirror of paypal but it wasn't paypal in the address bar of the browser. That was the only giveaway. They sent emails with a link just so they could get your password.
What gets me about some of the fix your computer sites is the way they use the Microsoft name like they are from Microsoft and then tell you that your computer might be getting damaged or hurting. Computers do neither. They just mess up. Like us.
2 people like this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
5 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Some people have been scammed by that one.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
That's a good reminder to us to always look at the address bar! Giving away your paypal password would be a disaster.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37353)
• Toccoa, Georgia
3 Jan 16
I am aware of those scams. My Mom fell for one once and her computer crashed. She ended up having to buy a new computer. She learned a lesson.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37353)
• Toccoa, Georgia
4 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Yes, she says that now she will not open any e mail that she does not recognize and looks odd.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
It's too bad she had to learn it the hard way, but she'll probably be more leery now.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
3 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Evidently some people do fall for it, or they would not keep on doing these things.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
@GardenGerty I think it's fairly easy to believe the message when it won't let you close it down without force quitting.
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
2 Jan 16
I wonder how many people are caught by it.
3 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (50250)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Thank goodness the line was busy when he called the number.
2 people like this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
I consider myself pretty savvy. I don't open anything I am not sure about. I'm glad you were able to catch it before he go through to the number. My husband is a smart man too not good on the computer but he always asks me or our son when he sees something suspicious or not of the ordinary.
2 people like this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
Doesn't that make you feel even smarter? :-)
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
5 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Yes, I will admit it does make me fell smarter but he only uses the computer to mail and search, He isn't on it more than 5 minutes a day... And I can be here for hours.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
3 Jan 16
Good idea. Panic usually doesn't help us.
2 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
4 Jan 16
Yes you are right, that blue screen message is a scam. I've always been reminding my husband about this because he has the tendency to fall into this scam just as your husband is. I have to remind him every now and then because he has the tendency to forget.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
Those scammers know what they're doing and try to catch you.
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
You sound pretty smart to me. Sometimes spelling errors are due to quick typing but something official is seldom spelled incorrectly.
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
3 Jan 16
That happened to me a few years ago @Sheilamarie78 . The message was supposedly from Microsoft. I didn't know at the time that Microsoft would never contact you. They gained access to my computer and when they got to the part that I owed them, I said I had no money. The guy laughed and said, "Thank you for participating." I immediately called my bank and told them what happened. They put an alert on my account just in case these weirdos tried to drain my account.
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
It's scary that they can gain access like that. We have to be so careful.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
4 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 And what's amazing is that as fast as the good guys figure out how to fix one problem, the crooks have devised another one.
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
I think we should all become more aware so as not to get caught.
1 person likes this
@sgbrown (1638)
• United States
5 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 I agree. I am getting to the point now that I don't trust anyone that I don't know. That's a shame really.
1 person likes this
@Violetx (38)
•
3 Jan 16
I would say that I have a fair amount of common sense but there are so many scams out there that are getting smarter and smarter, they are looking and feeling more and more realistic. So far I have not been scammed but this is one that I have not heard of before...
Problem is there is no way to stop things like this once and for all, I used to run the fraud department for the online company that I work for. While we suffered a small amount of fraud there would be occasions where groups/gangs worked out or defence and got through..they will always find a way
1 person likes this
@Sheilamarie78 (2586)
• Canada
4 Jan 16
That's true, and they get more convincing as time goes on. I almost didn't write the "misspellings" thing for fear that a scammer would read it and do a better job.
@Violetx (38)
•
4 Jan 16
@Sheilamarie78 Some of the fake passports I have seen are shocking, a lot of them are lazy and don't bother to double check etc in most things there is always a clue it's not genuine
