Lately we have been seeing a lot of browser pop-ups that tell you your computer is infected, your files are corrupt and you need to call this number so we can fix it. Many times customers are visiting a legitimate website when this happens but these types of pop-ups are never legitimate. It is just a scam designed to get your personal information and get you to purchase unnecessary services.
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Usually there is no virus or corrupt files on the computer at all, these companies will often say they are from Microsoft or Apple. Big companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google will never proactively contact you and ask you for your personal information or try to sell you support services. If customers encounter this type of pop-up they should close the browser immediately and never call the phone numbers on the screen. Many times we’ve seen it where the browser will not close, in which case customers can call us and we will explain to them over the phone how to force quit browsers with these types of pop-ups.
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Another scam we have been seeing a lot of lately, is where the scammer will send the customer an email or text pretending to be from their bank or credit card company asking them to sign in and reset their password. We’ve also seen this type of phishing scam aimed at Apple iCloud users asking them to reset passwords. This is just a malicious attempt to get your password. Legitimate institutions will never proactively contact you and ask for passwords or personal information, it is always a scam.
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The most important thing to do in the situation is never let these companies remote in to your computer and take control of it. We’ve had many jobs were this has happened and we have had to reformat the computers in order to make sure they are 100% safe.
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In addition to taking these precautions we recommend to run up-to-date antivirus software like Avast antivirus, as well as running and up-to-date anti-malware software like Malwarebytes. We also recommend to delete your temp Internet files with CC cleaner once a week. Running full system scans with Malwarebytes and Avast will help ensure the computer stay secure. All three programs are free for home users and can be downloaded below. In addition to these steps we also recommend to never open emails from people you don’t recognize and to never download email attachments from unknown senders. |
We also recommend to stick to the well-recognized major websites when surfing the Internet and to never download free music, movies or games from questionable websites. If you want movies we recommend Netflix or Amazon. If you’re looking for music the iTunes Store, Amazon and Pandora are great sites for free or affordable music. For games we recommend Steam.
If you’re concerned about viruses or security, we are always available for an on-site security analysis and virus removal. Please call or email us today for any questions or to schedule service.
ANTI-VIRUS DOWNLOADS
Malwarebytes
A great program for quickly removing spyware and other unwanted programs. |
CC Cleaner
Deletes temporary files and browsing data. |
Avast Antivirus
Good for virus protection. |