2014-02-21T11:16:19+00:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://www.augwessex.org.uk/discussions/view/1014 AUGW info@augwessex.org.uk https://www.augwessex.org.uk/ 2014-02-18T14:32:35+00:00 https://www.augwessex.org.uk/discussions/view/1014#4478 Derek Wright info@augwessex.org.uk https://www.augwessex.org.uk/ The "Microsoft Technical Support we have detected that there is a fault with your computer" telephone call telling you that your computer requires assistance is now potentially more dangerous to Mac users. This scam involves the caller persuading the user to go to a specific URL which often entails the downloading of some program that causes "problems". In the past this type of telephone call has proved to be quite an entertaining way of wasting a few minutes of one's life if you are using a Mac as all the instructions you are requested to follow do not give the results the scammer wants to achieve. Eventually the scammer realises that a Mac is involved and they slam the phone down (flick a switch) rather violently. However the scammers are now catching on about Macs and they now request the user to go to a URL that will enable the caller getting control of the machine. I have seen them wanting to log on to TeamViewer or Teamviewr and then giving them the user id or asking you to enter a password or number so that they can get access to the machine. I do not know what they do from there on as I have not got a sacrificial machine to let them have their wicked way with. Teamviewer is a legitimate product used for support and sharing screens and machines if used properly. I now suspect that the scammers have a way of getting a ransom payment from Mac users by incapacitating a Mac computer - so be careful - your are not guaranteed immunity just because you are using a Mac. 2014-02-20T20:57:44+00:00 https://www.augwessex.org.uk/discussions/view/1014#4485 Roy Rainford info@augwessex.org.uk https://www.augwessex.org.uk/ Many thanks for the warning. I had one such call last week and was pleased to slam my phone down before the caller could! 2014-02-20T21:43:57+00:00 https://www.augwessex.org.uk/discussions/view/1014#4486 Lionel Ogden info@augwessex.org.uk https://www.augwessex.org.uk/ Thanks for the advice. We have enjoyed Mac immunity for a long time and it is now time to take notice. 2014-02-21T11:16:19+00:00 https://www.augwessex.org.uk/discussions/view/1014#4487 Mick Burrell info@augwessex.org.uk https://www.augwessex.org.uk/ But as has been the situation for a long while, with Macs being so hard to crack, scammers target the weakest link - the person operating the keyboard ;-)