A new phone scam on Tygerberg attracted our attention this week and the possibility exists that it might spread other campusses. Please be aware of this scam that has left some victims hundreds of rands out of pocket.
Scammers are using several well-known brands, including Microsoft, to fool people into believing that something is wrong with their computers, and now they seem to be phoning university numbers.
The scam typically works as follows:
Somebody, claiming to be a representative of Microsoft, one of its brands or a third party contracted by Microsoft, tells the victim they are checking into a computer problem, infection or virus that has been detected by Microsoft. They will trick you into installing malicious software that could capture sensitive data, such as online banking user names and passwords. They might also then charge them for the removal of this software.
The victim is directed to help and connect their computer to a website that then allows the scammers to take control of the computer remotely, adjusting the settings and leaving the computer vulnerable.
These callers claim to be from Windows Helpdesk, Windows Service Centre, Microsoft Tech Support, Microsoft Support, Windows Technical Department Support Group and even Microsoft’s Research and Development Team.
(INFORMATION BY DAVID WILES)
Foonswendelary het onlangs die rooi ligte laat aangaan op Tygerberg en die res van kampus mag dalk ook onder dié slim bedrieërs deurloop. Wees asseblief bewus van hierdie foonswendelary wat sommige slagoffers reeds honderde rande gekos het.
Bedriëers gebruik verskeie bekende handelsmerke, byvoorbeeld Microsoft, as ‘n front om mense te oortuig dat iets verkeerd is met hulle rekenaars. Hulle beweer dat hulle werknemers is van die Windows Hulptoonbank, Windows Dienssentrum, Microsoft Tegniese Ondersteuning Microsoft Ondersteuning, Windows Tegniese Afdeling Ondersteuningsgroep en selfs Microsoft se Navorsing- en Ontwikkelingspan.
Die plan werk as volg:
Iemand, wat voorgee om ‘n verteenwoordiger van Microsoft, een van sy handelmerke of ‘n derde party gekontrakteer deur Microsoft, te wees, deel die gebruiker mee dat hulle ‘n rekenaarprobleem of virus ondersoek wat Microsoft opgespoor het. Om die “virus” te verwyder word daar sagteware deur die sogenaamde tegnikus installeer en die kwaadwillige sagteware vang sensitiewe data, soos gebruikersname en wagwoorde van jou aanlynbankdienste vas. Jy sal waarskynlik ook later ‘n fooi gevra word om die sagteware te verwyder.
As die slagoffer die “tegnikus” se instruksies volg, kry sy rekenaar `n verbinding met `n webwerf wat die krimineel toelaat om beheer oor die rekenaar te neem, verstellings te maak en die rekenaar dan juis blootgestel te laat.
(INLIGTING VERSKAF DEUR DAVID WILES)
Tags: security