Hi all, Please see the message from DialANerd below.
I've spoken to some friends who this has happened to - please be very careful with these kinds of calls. If anyone asks you to give information about your pc on the phone, you should be suspicious. Software providers will never contact you by phone. Best, Ancois OBSID ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: The Nerds <[email protected]> Date: 18 January 2012 17:40 Subject: Fraud alert, please read: To: Ancois Bester <[email protected]> ** Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser<http://live.pmailer.net/public/webversion/3yWBkWGq6Fb1uOHX/8JI7xAcIgk7i3uZw/4260/103704/29777885> 18 Jan 2012 - 17:33 Telephone/remote support scam Please read this brief report for your safety We have had numerous reports from customers all over South Africa of a scam which hit Europe<http://live.pmailer.net/servlet/link/4260/103704/29777885/788309>in 2010 and now seems to have spread to our shores. Someone purporting to represent Microsoft<http://live.pmailer.net/servlet/link/4260/103704/29777885/788310>or a company authorized by Microsoft will cold call people and tell them that they have detected a virus on their computer. They then offer to 'clean' the computer for a fee - usually R1,000.00 and direct the unwitting person to a credit card payment portal or provide a bank account for EFT's. Once they have payment they will access the persons computer remotely, with their permission, and then install malicious software which is capable of tracking whatever is typed onto the computer. The intent is to gather information for spammers and bank login details. If you receive a phonecall which has any of these characteristics please record whatever information you can (such as the 'company name' or phone number they are calling from) and send it to us. If you have already had a phonecall like this and you suspect someone has installed something on your computer please contact us and make a booking immediately. Please do not perform any Internet banking until we have cleaned the computer. Thanks and be safe online! How to spot a fraud? Computer scams like this are extremely prevalent via email and sometimes even on websites which look legitimate. They will often use fear as a 'hook' to get you to click on a link or install software. The only warnings you should ever believe will come from your anti-virus program (or a Nerd). Anything else is extremely likely to be malicious. If in doubt you can use Google to check too. Most hoaxes will have been circulated widely before you receive it and there are many websites which document them <http://live.pmailer.net/users/assets/256/images/new-logo-jpg.jpg> 0861 46 3737 This email was sent to: [email protected] Date sent: 2012-01-18 By: Dial a Nerd Address: , Unsubscribe<http://live.pmailer.net/public/unsubscribe/4260/103704/29777885/8JI7xAcIgk7i3uZw>| Update Profile<http://live.pmailer.net/public/update-my-profile/4260/103704/29777885/8JI7xAcIgk7i3uZw>| Pause Subscription<http://live.pmailer.net/public/pause-subscription/4260/29777885/8JI7xAcIgk7i3uZw>| Report as Spam<http://live.pmailer.net/public/complaints/4260/103704/29777885/8JI7xAcIgk7i3uZw> Email Powered By [image: pMailer] <http://live.pmailer.net/servlet/link/enterprise> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en.
