Cyber security involves all users of computing technology whether you use a simple cell phone or connect your gaming consoles, televisions, even refrigerators to the internet. Maintaining awareness can save you headaches, time and money.
Ever receive a phone call that starts out something like:
“Hello this is Windows support center and we have detected a problem with your computer…”?
Right away you should consider the following:
- Did you ever give “Windows Support Center” your phone number?
- Microsoft will not initiate a call you. Think about it. With the millions of users, imagine the costs to them.
- Your Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware didn’t indicate any issues so far (you do have such software installed… right?).
- These calls are aimed at the uninformed and those too caught up in the day to think critically about what is currently happening. Many victims are seniors who are not fully aware of some of the tricks employed against them.
- Such calls are the precursors to ID theft. The goal is to gain information such as credit card and banking information that can be monetized and used against your finances (primarily).
It happens more often than not. Too many fail to consider if the call is legit. When I receive such calls, if I don’t simply hang up and feel like messing with them I’ll throw a monkey wrench into the conversation and ask:
“Really? Which one?” (whether you have one or many…they really don’t know remember?)
The caller will either hang up or stutter and gasp some bumbled answer… Don’t fall for such calls… Read on:
National Cyber Awareness System:
FTC Releases Alert on Tech-Support Scams
06/23/2017 04:09 PM EDT
Original release date: June 23, 2017
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released an alert on technical-support scams. In these schemes, deceptive tech-support operations offer to fix problems that don’t exist, placing calls or sending pop-ups to make people think their computers are infected with viruses. Users should not give control of their computers to any stranger offering to fix problems.
US-CERT encourages users and administrators to refer to the FTC Alert and the US-CERT Tip on Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks for more information.
So, always simply hang up if you receive such calls. Then go to your computer and run scans using your anti-malware and anti-virus programs to ensure all is well. Just in case.
