On-Line PC help

[John Dempsey]

Just a word of warning about being careful who you let inside your computer!

My wife recently needed assistance to sort out a broadband issue in her PC and was redirected to a site in India. The guy took over her computer remotely to fix the issue and all seemed good, for about 2 minutes! Immediately she put the phone down the credit card company called asking if she had just purchased $3000 of software from a company in California! She had not of course, but all her bank, credit card, financial details were on her computer! Be careful out there!

John

[Jacqui Thomas]

In the uk there is a scam where a phone call is received by persons claiming they are Microsoft and they have detected critical errors with your PC. They either offer to fix for a fee and get your credit card details and process a payment for a few hundred via western union and get access to your PC or just offer to fix it by taking over your PC and presumably putting malware on it. No cover with card company as you willingly gave your details. Can't be traced easily as they use western union.

Whilst on the online subject another warning is nothing is free. If a free trial is offered but give your payment details for postage don't do it. In the very small print on the offer that nobody reads it says you are signing up for a subscription and that free can be 2x £80 a month........ Ouch and you can stop future pymts but can't claim on the other as you agreed their terms. Nowt is free!

[amuir]

The scammers phoned me too. It is also in our local paper. I told them I wasnt interested. I use Virgin Media and when I have broadband problems I just phone official no. 150 or 151

[Andy Howie]

I have had the microsoft scam call me a few times. I love it as I normally tie them in knots