Computer phone scam?

ethanandcharlie

Hi,

Sorry if I've posted in the wrong place, please move if so.

Just wanted some advice please if possible.. My nan was telling me yesterday that my grandad was having trouble with his computer and then had a phonecall shortly afterwards with someone telling him there is something wrong with his computer, and he said well yes there is and preceded to tell them what was wrong.

Anyway, they took control of his computer somehow (he said the cursor was moving on the screen, and apparantly fixed it and then charged him £250 to do so, which he paid over the phone on his credit card.

Obviously he has been completly ripped off anyway with the £250, but could they have done anything to his computer to gain personal details, bank details etc? Is there anything we should now do to his computer?

Thanks for reading.

pitkin2020

He has given access to his PC and credit card details to someone he didn't phone. I would strongly suggest taking the PC offline until you have had what ever software they installed removed (personally I would reformat it anyway). Secondly I would cancel the credit card. This is a pretty well known scam now so whilst cancelling the credit card it maybe worth speaking with them about it.

There is a more detailed thread on here somewhere (will link if i can find it in a min) that may offer more advice and where you stand.

EDIT: heres the link, might not be the same company but same type of scam https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1424731

DCFC79

iTs possible, for them to get control they get the other person to download a program and install it and they then have remote access and its possible that whatever the program was it could have contained nasties which wont be good.

Im amazed how the company knew your grandad was having trouble.

pitkin2020

DCFC79 wrote: »

iTs possible, for them to get control they get the other person to download a program and install it and they then have remote access and its possible that whatever the program was it could have contained nasties which wont be good.

Im amazed how the company knew your grandad was having trouble.

That is probably more a coincidence than anything TBH the amount of people they phone everyday with the law of averages they have to get someone with a problem at some point!!

ethanandcharlie

Thanks for your quick replies, I'm not entirely sure what he did/didn't do, but I'll phone him and let him know. I think they phoned and say there's something wrong anyway and it just so happened that he was having trouble just then, nothing major though, he probably did something wrong. He's not stupid by any means but at 87 I think he's losing his senses a bit. Thanks again.

pitkin2020

ethanandcharlie wrote: »

Thanks for your quick replies, I'm not entirely sure what he did/didn't do, but I'll phone him and let him know. I think they phoned and say there's something wrong anyway and it just so happened that he was having trouble just then, nothing major though, he probably did something wrong. He's not stupid by any means but at 87 I think he's losing his senses a bit. Thanks again.

To be fair it is the older generation who have little knowledge of PCs they target. I get a call once a week telling me my computer is producing errors and they can fix them.

If the computer has had software installed so they can access taking it offline would stop them having any access to it, get it checked or if you can do yourself just backup everything and reformat.

Joyful

I had a call like this last week. They said I had a problem with my computer. I asked what type of computer at which he said I don't know but you are using windows 7 which I am. I said no I'm not so he then said vista? XP? I explained that I was not that easily conned!

It is just another scam doing the rounds.