Tag Archives: scammers

Received a Phone Call from Microsoft, Don’t Answer

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If you ever receive any phone calls from someone who says they work for Apple, Google, or even Microsoft, just hang up.

While it sounds rude to do, here is why. Cyber hackers are always figuring out ways to scam potential victims. The norm was through e-mails, however they’ve found that calling customers, claiming to be the software/hardware companies, they can dupe those into giving credit card or other personal information over the phone. These people may sound completely legit and may even know what software you’re using.

According to Microsoft Security, “Once cybercriminals gain your trust, they might ask for your user name and password or ask you to go to a legitimate website (such as www.ammyy.com) to install software that will let them access your computer to fix it. Once you do this, your computer and your personal information are vulnerable. “

Here’s the thing to remember: Apple, Google, and Microsoft will never ever call you. If for whatever reason you have issues with your phone, you can easily look on the company’s website for any information regarding particular problems. What if that doesn’t work? It’s best for you to reach out to their customer service.

If you are having issues with your PC, please give us a call at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities.  This blog post is brought to you from our staff at the Plano Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Plano, TX please call the local office at (469) 299-9005.

Covid-19 Scams Through Email

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A whole new way of malicious intent

Hackers are finding new and unique ways of scamming people out of information and money. And with the number of remote workers due to the pandemic, users rely on digital communication.

Covid-19 has reeked havoc on people’s livelihoods. Money is tight all around. This gives people incentive to take advantage of any assistance programs available. While it’s ideal to have these programs, some are not legit.

“Have you seen in your inbox or in a social media group a message with an offer for free help during this pandemic? The messages use quite an appealing language and just at the end, there is a link to click for the offer. These are scams. Below is a sample of such scams, they are crafted very persuasively to give the victim but little or no time for delay.”
-Source: Makerere University
False Guarantee of Financial Relief

Throughout the past year and a half, malicious e-mails show up in millions of inboxes. These contain content promising financial aid to those who are in need of it. Links provided in the messages are a direction to receive said financial aid. However, this is not the case.

These e-mails are a ploy to steal personal information or inject malware into your computer. It is critical to double-check the sender’s email address to ensure its validity.

Furthermore, you should not click any links until you are confident that they were supplied by the firm. You may also detect grammar issues in the email, which would suggest that it is a phishing email.

For help with computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Mesa Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Mesa, AZ please call the local office at (480) 240-2950. 

What are Phishing Scams?

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Phishing scams are online scams in which hackers attempt to trick users to give them personal credentials. This is usually done by means of e-mails.

These type of phishing scams look legit, as the e-mails contain similar information of the company they’re impersonating. The recipient may have an account with the business, like AOL or Google. 

Just recently, AOL fell victim with phishing scams. Some with AOL accounts received e-mails stating if they didn’t verify, their e-mails would be deleted within 3 days. If users ended up verifying, the scam would send the user to a login webpage and given the opportunity, could end up stealing their private information. 

“The email reportedly contains a link to an AOL phishing landing page that wouldn’t hold up under scrutiny by an alert user. The page displays a form asking users to enter their login details, before redirecting them to the standard AOL login page as the credentials make their way to the scammers.” 

source: techradar

Cybercriminals continue imitating businesses, becoming more knowledgeable and sneaky. According to the FTC, text message scammers are on the rise, attempting to convince people to click on links to receive statuses on package shipments from UPS and FedEx. They also state, “In 2020, the FTC got more than 2.2 million reports about fraud, with people telling us they lost nearly $3.3 billion.” 

FTC: How to report phishing scams
Protect yourself from phishing scams by doing the following:

-Try out Carbonite online backup solutions, which will protect your data regardless of any type of attack or problem. This can ensure your important files and data are backed up to a secure cloud storage. 

-Use 2-factor authentication, which gives an extra set of security.

-Do not click on any e-mail links that look suspicious. If you’re unsure as to who sent you the e-mail, double check their address to verify its authenticity.

If you’re experiencing any Windows 10 or computer issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Lakewood Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Lakewood, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460. 

Tech Support Scam Victims Receive Refunds from FTC

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Yesterday, the FTC announced on their website that they will be sending out refunds to those who were victimized by tech support scammers.

In a statement, they wrote, “The FTC, along with State of Connecticut and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, alleged that the perpetrators of the scheme, which operated under Click4Support and other names, used ads on search engines like Google and popups on websites. The ads and popups claimed to be from major tech companies such as Microsoft and Apple and tricked consumers into calling the defendants and buying tech support services that consumers did not need.”

This operation led to many users’ computers getting infected with viruses and malware. Many of the viruses look legit, as hackers tend to use the brand logos.

The refund total comes to over $1.7 Billion, and will be dispersed through checks or PayPal over the year. The FTC warns consumers that they will never ask you to pay any fee to cash your check. And if you are asked to do so to call Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-877-389-4472.

Be sure you are handling computer viruses properly by downloading anti-virus software, which can detect and remove harmful trojans or malware. It is beneficial to have even if you’re not concerned about a potential threat. Norton and McAfee are well known anti-virus software subscriptions, available for you to purchase online.

Keeping your OS updated to the latest version is helpful as well, as it contains the protection and security needed.

If you are having security problems or any other issue with your computer and would like some assistance, please give us a call at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities.  This blog post is brought to you from our staff at the Arvada Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Arvada, CO please call the local office at (720) 441-6460 or schedule an appointment at www.arvadacomputerrepairservice.com.