Computer Scammers Continue to Rob Users

By Stan Bindell, FBN

Computer scams continue to cause chaos and cost money. Idea Karma owner Robert Moses says he has seen a large influx of computer virus scams over the last few months. The most prevalent is a computer advertisement swindle, costing Chino Valley residents more than $60,000 in a two-week period.

In this scam, computer users won’t know it’s an advertisement because it takes over their entire screen, stating: “Warning, Warning, Warning.” The advertisement tells the computer user that the computer has been infected and they need to a call a certain number to have their system cleaned out.

Then, they are rerouted to a call center where someone tells them they need remote access to the computer. Once they gain access, they put Ransomware on the computer, making all the files unusable. Then, they ask the computer user to pay $1,000 so they can use the files. After the computer owner pays, the thieves ask for more money.

Some of these computer scammers tell computer users that they need to pay $500 per year, but once they get their credit card, they start charging them $499 per month until the customer cuts them off.

Once a scammer gains computer access, they can obtain the computer user’s Social Security Number to steal their identity or get into their banking accounts if they are online.

Moses said he has been contacted by at least 10 people a month for several months who have suffered from these scams.

“The key to all this is: do not call the number on the computer,” he said. “Go to a trusted advisor or go to a local computer professional where you can take your computer in.”

Moses said there is nothing banks can do if the customer willingly gave out their bank account number to the scammer. However, if the transaction was done through a credit card, the banks have some recourse through their fraud department.

“If you know it’s a scam, take your computer to a professional to have it cleaned,” he said, adding that Chase Bank is recommending that customers take their computers to computer professionals to have them cleaned before they use them again if they have been scammed.

“That’s a good practice because once you’ve been compromised, they will just get access to do it again until the computers have been cleaned.”

Moses said local, state and federal law enforcement officers have been having trouble with the scams because a high number of them cross international lines. He still encourages those scammed to report it to the FBI because it gives the government important data.

“But in a lot of these countries [where scammer call centers exist], the governments are corrupt,” he said.

Moses said the FBI will be starting a new department to address computer scams. Some scammers are local and even the ones from overseas can have their infrastructure damaged once the FBI knows about it.

“I know a couple seniors on fixed incomes who lost their retirement,” he said.

Sometimes, he adds, the scams happen for months or a year because the computer users don’t realize what is going on. The scammers at first will treat people well, but once the customer starts saying no, they start screaming at the customer and make them nervous to the point that they cave in. The scammers will even threaten to prosecute the customers if they stop paying. Of course, they cannot do that.

Moses recommends these steps that computer users should take:

ƒ First, do not keep important documents on the computer.

ƒ Second, do not use password managers on the computer. Instead, write them down. He said one computer manager was compromised three times in the past four months. Thousands of people’s passwords were at stake.

ƒ Third, use safe browsing habits by adding an advertisement blocker. He said this filters out 95% of advertisement scams. Some of these services are free.

He adds that computer users should have anti-virus programs on their computers. “Even safe sites can sometimes have these advertisement scams. I feel bad for the people who have been scammed.” FBN

BY V. RONNIE TIERNEY, FBN