possible computer scam....help !!

[Robbi]

this is a weird one !!

i've just tried to log on to my email account using my address and my password, a screen came up that said my account had been blocked due to being infected and directed me to another Microsoft site that had my wifes email address on it and asked me to verify that this was my account....i obviously couldn't as i don't know the password.

Just then the land line rang and a gentleman of not english extraction said he was from Microsoft and asked that i turn my computer on and he would talk me through re-activating my email account.

i didn't trust this so it was a short conversation.

anyone know what's going on ?

i can't access my emails !

 

[Robbi]

dunno, i'll have to ask the kids

 

[Shewie]

My father-in-law got suckered into the same scam last year Robbi, they'll try and ask you for money to fix the problem.

Update your virus software, make sure your firewall is still on and install Spybot, let that run (will probably take a couple of hours the first time) and then that should sort it.

 

[Mesquite]

Robbi... have you ever given your telephone number to Microsoft?

More than likely you haven't and you've been hacked with a virus

 

[udamiano]

I would also report it to BT.

 

[Robbi]

oh bugger !

 

[Fizzy]

Yup, update your virus scanner, run a full scan. Also download and run Malware Bytes and delete any nasties it finds

 

[Angus Og]

Boot in safe mode and do a scan then.

 

[ged]

This kind of scam has been very common for quite a long time. I've repaired a number of computers which have been taken over by this means.

Here's an example of an article about the scam, but it's so common now that if everyone rang the police every time it happened they'd be inundated.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-13049930

If you didn't do to your computer what the caller asked you to do then it's unlikely that your computer will have been hijacked by that means, but the fact that it behaved in a way which you didn't expect is cause for concern. As others have said, I would advise a thorough spyware/virus scan. MalwareBytes Anti-Malware is good, I use it a lot. HijackThis is another good one. It needs a lot more skill to use effectively but there's a good support forum.

Sometimes when you search for things like spyware removal tools and other packages you will be directed to a site run by CNET. Whatever you do, don't download anything, ever, from CNET. They infect the installers of legitimate packages with spyware before passing them on to you.

 

[Tadpole]

download Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper http://connect.microsoft.com/systemsweeper follow the set up instructions (it needs to be set up on a USB drive or CD.) it will find any nasty on you machine then dowload Microsoft Security Essentials. and keep it up todate. google the email supplier on a working machine and there is bound to be a workround to get back your accout. If not then set up a new account, as will have back ups of all your important contacts and emails....

 

[dave53]

hi all I'm having the same problem hotmailhas blocked my account saying that they think I'm getting a lot of spam but i can't find a link to hotmail to ring them what shold i do regards dave

 

[dave53]

hi all I'm having the same problem hotmailhas blocked my account saying that they think I'm getting a lot of spam but i can't find a link to hotmail to ring them when i try to log in it says incorrect password but its not i keep a paper record of my passwords any advise regards dave

 

[ged]

hi all I'm having the same problem hotmailhas blocked my account saying that they think I'm getting a lot of spam but i can't find a link to hotmail to ring them when i try to log in it says incorrect password but its not i keep a paper record of my passwords any advise regards dave

At a guess, Hotmail has done nothing of the kind. Why would they? If you're getting a lot of spam it would be their fault for letting it through to you, not yours.

It's possible for the Bad Guys to modify the software in your computer to change the way that it finds things. My guess is that's what's happened here. The Bad Guys have changed things so that if you use your computer to find your Hotmail account, in fact what you find is some Website created by the Bad Guys which looks like it's a Hotmail Website but it isn't.

Try logging onto your account from a known clean computer. Something running Linux might be good.

 

[dave53]

thanks ged I'm working off a mac pro and i dont know much about computers its blocked on my iPhone to ?

 

[bikething]

Sometimes when you search for things like spyware removal tools and other packages you will be directed to a site run by CNET. Whatever you do, don't download anything, ever, from CNET. They infect the installers of legitimate packages with spyware before passing them on to you.

I've just hit the download button on Malwarebytes.org and guess where it takes you

 

[Biker]

Hey Dave, I had a similar problem with Hotmail last year, it was a virus on the PC which we eventually got cleaned but whenever I logged in using Internet Explorer it'll shut me oout, however when I used another browser such as Mozilla firefox I was able to login fine and all was well.

Just a thought that might get you round a problem.

I knew Ged would be able to offer some very good advice, he's a bit of a whiz in that area.

 

[ged]

thanks ged I'm working off a mac pro and i dont know much about computers its blocked on my iPhone to ?

If it's a Mac then the chances of something having taken it over without your active assistance are much smaller than if it's a Windows box.

I wonder if your Hotmail account has been hacked. Apart from sending emails or filling in their Web forms, I have no idea how to contact Hotmail. If you want to send their support department an email, why not open an account with another free email provider and send it from that account? Obviously you'd need to give them reference numbers or something so that they could identify your Hotmail account, and they'd need to be able to confirm that it's really you that they're talking to before they'd do anything for you.

Are both your Mac and your iPhone using a home router to connect to the Internet? They aren't immune from hackers, I wonder if it's OK. Do you use your iPhone to access your Hotmail account from other places, e.g. at work, which would use a different router?

 

[Maxip]

You will have malware (virus . trojan / etc) on your PC and the only safe way to get rid of it is to boot the machine from a USB stick (or Linux CD) and do a full AV clean using a standalone product. If that doesn't work, could be a re-install!! This is quite a common occurrence as so many sites now have pop-up windows that you can easily click on a malicious one. There are many ways to minimise (not remove unfortunately) your internet browsing;

- use Mozilla Firefox - Firefox has several excellent add-ons that control what your browser session can do. As an example, I have Ad-Block (blocks adverts) & NoScript (needs permission to run any Java script) to name but a few
- always use your PC with a USER account (not admin). That way you will be notified if malicious code wants to change any system files or install software
- trust nothing !!
- never open email you don't know the source. Email can contain scripts or direct you to a malicious webpage without you actually realising - try and use plain email (not HTML) and have your email client scan for junk / spam / etc. Thunderbird does this very well
- have a 'disposable' email account. Rather than using your genuine email address when you have to register on a site (apart from those you visit regularily), use a free hotmail / yahoo / other email account that you only use & look at when registering on sites. I have a disposable Yahoo account that got hacked last year and attempted to send email to all the people in my address list. As this wasn't a real account, there were n names / addresses.

If you need any further help, PM me

 

[dave53]

hi maxip have sent you a pm regards dave

 

[filcon]

I got locked out tonight by so called police and told to pay a fine. Check your IPS registration and address, try and eradicate the blockage by coming in through as a guest. My IPS and address was different, spent all night saving my stuff.

phil