Windows 10: Confirm if pop-up is a scam or legitimate and safe

Hello Microsoft TeamI am receiving a pop up ''RAV endpoint protection'' This month 2 threats were found on your PC - ''Activate RAV'' as per below screenshotendpoint protection to make sure you are protected from any threat. Microsoft partner of Microsoft. Is this a scam ? or legitimate - if the latter whats involved. Kind Regards, Brian Doran *** Email address is removed for privacy ***[Moderator note: personal information removed]

:)

 

Sophiisticated scam or legitimate service?

This is obvious scam. Google employee would never call you.

"I just like to inform you that we are a legitimate company. Without your
permission we cannot control your device because if we need to control your
computer, we have to call you to run TeamViewer software, when you will
share your Teamviewer ID & Password with us, then only it is possible for
us to control your device with your permission. This is the way of a
genuine company."

You need to remember that scammers are always trying to manipulate victims. This is their job. Of course they won't admit that they aren't legitimate or scammers. And them saying that they need your permission for remote controlling "to prove you that they're legitimate" is just another tactic of manipulation, so you think, "oh if they were scammers they wouldn't need my permission."

They are 100% scammers. You must be really very naive to not notice it. Anyway, all you need to do now is to block their number, put them in spam. They will probably try to call you again from the different numbers. Anytime they will call you, straightaway hangup. If they don't stop, I would suggest you to change your number. Also there is another way. I don't know if they were calling you to your smartphone or landline phone, but if it's a smartphone, then most smartphones have this ability where it blocks all unknown numbers automatically. I know it's not an ideal option, but it's the only thing to do if you don't want to change your phone number. For example my android phone has a feature to block calls from the strangers and also block calls from hidden numbers and even from contacts. Anyway, they somehow gained your personal information (number, email and etc)... And also remember, there are whole departments in the world that obtain, collect & then sell such information to scammers.

Next step after blocking and putting them in spam (& also report their emails to google) is to clean install of your windows if there's even a small suspicion that they had remote control of your computer. Disconnect your computer from the Internet. Format your disk and clean install Windows. After this change passwords of your important accounts & increase security as much as possible (very important to enable 2-step verification wherever you can).

And lastly, remember few golden rules:

• Never give your credit card information to anyone! Even if God descends from the sky and asking your cc number.
• Never make a transaction to some company you have not enough information, that has not reputation and name, in short in some shady companies and remember, even reviews can be faked and fabricated.
• Never send money to strangers.
• Never give strangers remote control of your computer.

P.S. I suggest you to use password managers like Lastpass or Bitwarden, definitely use strong password and enable 2-step verification for them & also use strong and complex passwords (You can use this site for generating strong passwords: Strong Random Password Generator or you if you're using Chrome, it also can generate for you and also lastpass and bitwarden also have this ability).

 

Windows 10 Pop Up Scam Window

While using MS Edge recently, I received a pop up that appeared to be a Windows alert.

The alert said my computer and important passwords, phone numbers, etc. could be

possibly be stolen. They listed a phone number - 888-497-7805 and to call.

The pop up also noted that if not called my computer would be locked for my own security.

I did call. I first asked to whom I am speaking. They accent suggested foreign and when

I asked if I was in fact talking with Microsoft they said some other company.

I realized this is likely not a legitimate issue and hung up. I was running AVG and believed that

MS Edge is very secure. I have since added Webroot antivirus.

Are you aware of this type of scam and is there any means to determine a legitimate

MS issue ?

Thanks for your help.

Jim Urquhart

 

Sophiisticated scam or legitimate service?

That's the Agent Activation Runtime service and is related to Cortana and/or other digital assistants, not remote access. (It IS possible to disable - but not advisable - but only via the registry editor.)

Can you confirm the answers to my previous post?