Windows 10: Virus Scam

Clicked on what I thought was a video regarding landscaping. Got a message that Microsoft was locking my PC because a trojan horse virus had been found. Called 1-833-802-8800, the number indicated on the page. Contacted someone with foreign accent named Kevin. Loud noise in the background made him terribly hard to understand. Since my system was locked, he told me to use Windows+R to run iexplore www.fastsupport.com. My system was running extremely slow at this point. Finally, the website appeared with GoToAssist started. He gave me a support key and took over control of my laptop. He showed me several examples of how my pc had been hacked since 6/15/18 and said the current firewall I had did not support Windows 10 (it's Trend Micro and does have support for 10). He showed me that it was currently running under Windows 8 compatibility. He said that I needed to use a better firewall, suggested Cisco and 360 Total Security. Then he showed me several packages available from "Microsoft" that I could purchase. I asked why I couldn't just run Windows firewall. He said the fact that I had the virus on my PC was proof that the Trend Micro didn't work and Windows firewall would not provide the protection I needed. The list showed a variety of packages available, the cheapest of which was $800. When I told him I worked as an IT person before I retired and I wasn't going to pay that much for software I could get cheaper, some packages not costing anything, he started backing off. At this point, we had been on the phone for over an hour. Once he put me on mute so that he could run a scan to see what damage the virus had done. As I watched, he wasn't scanning anything, just taking up my time. When I made it clear that I wasn't going to buy any software, he quickly signed off of the GoToAssist and ended my call. My pc ran just fine after he hung up. I ran several scans using different programs and nothing showed up. I deleted the GoToAssist that was still on my pc. I called the 1-833 number just to see what would happen and got a very short message that it was not in service.

I was lucky. I've worked in IT all my professional life and feel really stupid that I fell for this.

Has anyone else had this experience? If so, were you able to just shutdown your pc and start over without the system being locked?

Hope no one falls for this ever. Just a waste of time.

:)

 

Possible virus or scam

As already mentioned:

All these kind of pop-ups/alerts are fake warnings - scams. Never ever call these numbers.

Please read:
Beware of Phony Tech Support Scams

Normally you just close your browser:
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/threat-analysis/2014/11/psa-tech-support-scams-pop-ups-on-the-rise/

How to Open Windows Task Manager

You might want to run a quick scan with your Anti-Virus program.

In case you keep on getting these fake alerts:

Follow the steps provided here: Remove Tech Support Scam pop-up (Call For Support Scam)

Suggestion to read:

• Scam Pop-Ups: What You Need to Know

• Avoiding technical support scams
• Tech Support Scams – Help & Resource Page
• Best Practices for Safe Computing - Prevention of Malware Infection

You might want to report this to Microsoft (but you don't have to):
http://support.microsoft.com/reportascam

and you might want to watch:

Fake Tech Support Scams – video from the MS Digital Crimes Unit

 

Virus Scam 0x80072ee7

To prevent such fake and unwanted pop ups/warnings/alerts , please do get a good blocker extension for your browser.

Personally I use and recommend
uBlock Origin.

• gorhill/uBlock

Suggestion to take the time and read everything here:

Beware of Phony Emails &Tech Support Scams which

• explains various methods how to get out of those fake alerts (for example
  Close Browser Application With Task Manager). Make sure to not restore your browser session.
  
• includes Resources to protect your browser, privacy & help prevent browser pop-up ads and scams

and much more.

When in doubt: run some scans, get rid of fishy browser extensions and installed programs, reset browser etc.

Also see:

• Tech Support Scams - Help & Resource Page
  
• https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/threats/support-scams
• Best Practices for Safe Computing - Prevention of Malware Infection
  

 

Virus scam alert.

It is a common scam.

Tech Support Scamming through
unsolicited phone calls, browser pop-ups and
emails (aka
Tech Support Scamming) from "so-called Support Techs" advising
"your computer is infected with malware",
“All Your Files Are Encrypted" and other
fake "alert messages" has become an increasing common scam tactic over the past several years. The scams may involve web pages with screenshots of fake Microsoft (Windows) Support messages, fake reports of suspicious activity, fake warnings of malware
found on your computer,
fake ransomware and fake
BSODs all of which include a tech support phone number to call in order to fix the problem. If you call the phone number (or they called you), more nefarious scammers will talk their victims into allowing them remote control
access of the computer so they can install a
Remote Access Trojan in order to steal passwords and other sensitive personal information which could then be used to access bank accounts or steal a person's identity.

These are a few examples.

• Fake Your computer is locked screenlocker...contact a Microsoft technician
• Microsoft Help Desk Tech Support Scam
• Microsoft Office Activation Wizard Tech Support Scam
• Windows has been blocked due to suspicious activity Tech Support Scam
• Your Windows has been Banned Scam
• 1-844-879-7840 Suspicious Activity Tech Support Scam

The scammer may claim to be affiliated with Microsoft or
Windows Support. However, there have been reports of scammers claiming to be affiliated with major computer manufacturers such as
Hewlett Packard, Lenovo and Dell, familiar security vendors like
Symantec, Panda, McAfee, etc. and even popular
ISPs.

Hanging up the phone when the scammers call is the best way to deal with them.

For more information about how these scams work and resources to protect yourself, please read
Beware of Phony Emails & Tech Support Scams...there
are suggestions near the bottom for dealing with scams and a list of security scanning tools to use in case the usual methods do not resolve the problem or you allowed remote access into your computer.