Microsoft phone scam!! Trojans installed

McBain11

Hi all, looking for some help as I'm not the most computer/tech savy!!

So I have a dell inspiron 3520 laptop, only antivirus device running was windows defender. I received a phone call from someone saying they were with microsoft and my computer was showing up viruses!! I must have been half asleep because I fell for this, opened my laptop and even opened a couple of files. It was obviously a really stupid thing to do, and after 2 minutes I hung up.

So then I had to go work, came back 5/6 hours later and ran a full scan on the computer with Windows Defender. It showed 3 severe warnings, saying 3 trojan horses were present!!! I removed them using the Windows defender, so my first question is - does that fully clear any viruses from my computer. Could any information have been hacked from my computer in those few hours, if so how mush is possible? Also, is it possible that my computer is being remotely accessed and whoever stuck in the virus can read my keystrokes?

After this I shut down my wireless internet connection overnight and brought my laptop to a friend of mine the next morning. I got him to replace my Windows 8 OS with Windows 7. He put my Itunes and photos from my laptop on an external hard drive {these are the only 2 things I'd want to keep}. So my next question is, if the Trojan Horses were present on the old Windows 8 system does this mean now that there is zero chance they are still present on my computer? None of my old files were present when I opened windows in the new Windows 7 version so I'm guessing they were totally wiped clean - is this correct??

He then put the Itunes and photos back onto my computer. Since then, I've downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials and run a few full scans, which haven't shown any issues.

Sorry for being long winded, but I'm not sure where I stand with my computer now!! Would like to take it to professional but money is tight. I'm very wary not to open my email or banking accounts since this happened.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

GarIT

The computer is definitely clean. You should invest in a good internet security package of you do any shopping or banking online. The files that were restored could have carried the infection, as could the device used to back them up but that is unlikely.

McBain11

Thanks for the feedback GarIT. So am I right in saying that when I changed the Operating Systems from Windows 8 to Windows 7, that the computer should be completely clean again?

When I put a couple of old files back on the new OS then, I ran a scan with Microsoft Security Essentials on these files and the whole computer a few times - would that be trustworthy enough once they came up clean?

Is the Microsoft security I'm using not good enough to keep Trojans or viruses at bay in general?

GarIT

It's a bit more complicated than that. No security software protects 100% In general free products protect against 20%-80% of infections which isn't good enough where money is involved. The better paid products have around 95-99% protection. There are plenty of worst things than viruses out there so you need internet security rather than antivirus. Viruses make up a tiny amount of threats. Microsoft themselves say not to use security essentials as your only security.

Put simply antivirus does nothing to protect you (your bank details etc) but protects your computer, internet security protects both. If you need proper security I'd recommend Norton Internet security, it can be gotten cheaply from Argos at times.

papajohn12

I was inclined to post because I share the same question. I got a call from someone telling me my computer's got a virus and that I should give him remote access so he could remove it. I was worried so I did, he worked on my computer. It was weird looking at the monitor with the cursor moving around, clicking on folders. There was something he downloaded and after a while, he asked for my bank details so he could purchase an antivirus and install it. I did give him that and thank him after that. My computer works, just like it did before and there was no obvious difference from how it used to be.

So my question is, was I scammed? So far, there's nothing on my credit report and nothing unauthorized has been taken off my account.

GarIT

papajohn12 wrote: »

I was inclined to post because I share the same question. I got a call from someone telling me my computer's got a virus and that I should give him remote access so he could remove it. I was worried so I did, he worked on my computer. It was weird looking at the monitor with the cursor moving around, clicking on folders. There was something he downloaded and after a while, he asked for my bank details so he could purchase an antivirus and install it. I did give him that and thank him after that. My computer works, just like it did before and there was no obvious difference from how it used to be.

So my question is, was I scammed? So far, there's nothing on my credit report and nothing unauthorized has been taken off my account.

Are you actually serious. Tell your bank ASAP they will know how to deal with it. Take your computer to your local repair centre and ask them to wipe your hard drive and put windows back on the computer otherwise they can monitor everything you do, they can see your screen and know every button you press 24/7.

papajohn12

I'm just worried because when I looked up the caller's phone number, I pulled up several complaints posted at http://www.callercenter.com associating it to this fake tech support scam. Can anybody help me? I don't know if I was scammed. If I was, what do I do?

papajohn12

GarIT wrote: »

Are you actually serious. Tell your bank ASAP they will know how to deal with it. Take your computer to your local repair centre and ask them to wipe your hard drive and put windows back on the computer otherwise they can monitor everything you do, they can see your screen and know every button you press 24/7.

It happened a week ago. When I learned about the scam, I checked my account online and there was nothing unusual about it. I'm thinking it was a telemarketer trying to get me to pay for their service. What do you think?

GarIT

papajohn12 wrote: »

I'm just worried because when I looked up the caller's phone number, I pulled up several complaints posted at http://www.callercenter.com associating it to this fake tech support scam. Can anybody help me? I don't know if I was scammed. If I was, what do I do?

Microsoft have never made a phone call to anybody and couldn't possibly know what you have on your computer, read my last post. You have definitely been scammed.

GarIT

papajohn12 wrote: »

It happened a week ago. When I learned about the scam, I checked my account online and there was nothing unusual about it. I'm thinking it was a telemarketer trying to get me to pay for their service. What do you think?

No, not a chance. They install monitoring software and will soon take your money.

uncle_sam_ie

papajohn12 wrote: »

It happened a week ago. When I learned about the scam, I checked my account online and there was nothing unusual about it. I'm thinking it was a telemarketer trying to get me to pay for their service. What do you think?

Yes you were scammed. Like Garit says, get onto your credit card company asap and tell them you were scammed so they can sort it out. And, get your PC off line, wiped and restored. You gave them the key's to the kingdom and they now own your PC.

McBain11

uncle_sam_ie wrote: »

Yes you were scammed. Like Garit says, get onto your credit card company asap and tell them you were scammed so they can sort it out. And, get your PC off line, wiped and restored. You gave them the key's to the kingdom and they now own your PC.

If you were being key logged, is there any way of knowing this? Would the cursor be moving on your computer while you are online or what's the story?

jsa112

no. they will just log all your account information when you do online banking and things like that, use the info themselves to take money.

sawdoubters

the scammes that say they are from Microsoft don't load a virus

they get you to load software that takes control of your computer,

then the wipe it if you don't pay them the money

just hang up if they call,dont load any software,

GarIT

sawdoubters wrote: »

the scammes that say they are from Microsoft don't load a virus

they get you to load software that takes control of your computer,

then the wipe it if you don't pay them the money

just hang up if they call,dont load any software,

It's not one group, they all operate differently.

GarIT

McBain11 wrote: »

If you were being key logged, is there any way of knowing this? Would the cursor be moving on your computer while you are online or what's the story?

No they just record nothing else. It is extremely unlikely that is it happening to you though, once you have re installed windows you should be grand.

FuzzyCraic

Hey all,

Investing in Good security doesn t mean PAY PAY PAY.
There a very good free applications avaible.
It only takes half an hour to install them.
Make sure not to install two virusclients ok !

Step 1 :
Install Comodo free firewall client
(Just google comodo free firewall )


Then go to
http://ninite.com/
(this site allows you to install multiple apps at once !!!

Go to the antivirus tab and install

1 a antivirus client (avira, ms security essentials - ONLY CHOOSE ONE )
2 Antispam client (Superanti spyware and or malware bytes)

When this is done install CC cleaner (free version) and run this every week

If you really care about your pc security also install

Free winpatrol client (this apps keeps you posted about changes in your browser )


If you have all them clients installed make sure you keep them updated!!!
Outdated software is the biggest hole for hackers

That s why you should also install FILE HIPPO update checker

This applications runs at startup and gives you a list of apps that need an update


I have all of them apps running since 2 years.
I don t have virusses or spam

Last but not least make sure to use Strong passwords !!!!

If you do all them things your pc is never gonna get hacked unless you decide to join the syrian army or the communist army of North Korea.
If NASA want your data they will have your data.
They just ask microsoft or google and they are in
Not much you can do against goverments hacking into your data

(Actually you could encrypt all your hd and stuff but this is just way too much work for me
Skipping to Fedora would work also

GarIT

FuzzyCraic wrote: »

Hey all,

Investing in Good security doesn t mean PAY PAY PAY.
There a very good free applications avaible.
It only takes half an hour to install them.
Make sure not to install two virusclients ok !

Step 1 :
Install Comodo free firewall client
(Just google comodo free firewall )


Then go to
http://ninite.com/
(this site allows you to install multiple apps at once !!!

Go to the antivirus tab and install

1 a antivirus client (avira, ms security essentials - ONLY CHOOSE ONE )
2 Antispam client (Superanti spyware and or malware bytes)

When this is done install CC cleaner (free version) and run this every week

If you really care about your pc security also install

Free winpatrol client (this apps keeps you posted about changes in your browser )


If you have all them clients installed make sure you keep them updated!!!
Outdated software is the biggest hole for hackers

That s why you should also install FILE HIPPO update checker

This applications runs at startup and gives you a list of apps that need an update


I have all of them apps running since 2 years.
I don t have virusses or spam

Last but not least make sure to use Strong passwords !!!!

If you do all them things your pc is never gonna get hacked unless you decide to join the syrian army or the communist army of North Korea.
If NASA want your data they will have your data.
They just ask microsoft or google and they are in
Not much you can do against goverments hacking into your data

(Actually you could encrypt all your hd and stuff but this is just way too much work for me
Skipping to Fedora would work also

Comodo firewall works on the basis that you are an IT expert, it is useless unless you let it ask you questions about what is going on in the computer and you know how to answer. I use Comodo myself and it is great for getting to know what is going on in the background and if anything is running that you don't want. It is not recommended for the average user.

There is no free antivitus software that offers the same level of virus detection as certain paid products. Microsoft themselves has advised user not to use security essentials on it's own for detecting viruses.

Super Antispyware and Malwarebytes, require being run manually and frequently, if you are not prepared to stop and run scans every time you want to buy anything or access online banking this option isn't for you. If you might install it now and forget about it later it wont do you any good and will just give a false sense of security.

CCleaner won't help with security, at most it will delete the harmless remnants of malware that the security program must have left.

If you are willing to invest an hour or two a week into keeping your computer secure it is possible to get reasonable security, it still wont be up to the standard of Norton though, which can be gotten on sale in Argos every now and again for €20.

If you had malware you wouldn't know you did. If you think a virus is the only thing that can affect your computer there is no way you should ever even consider giving advice, especially bad advice like this. Spam has absolutely nothing to do with the programs on your computer, where did you get that crazy idea?

There is no way Google could access data on your computer without installing malware. If Microsoft accessed your data it wouldn't be hacking, they currently can't access your data and do not have any way of targeting individual computers. You clearly have no knowledge of computer security.

If you were hacked encryption wouldn't stop anything. Encryption would stop someone accessing your files if they had physical access to your computer.

Please stop trying to give advice on something which you clearly have very little knowledge of and could potentially be very costly to someone.

FuzzyCraic

Well then please go to the following forum

http://www.sevenforums.com/

Look at the advice that all the Microsoft Experts give here on the security page

Not many of them will advice you to pay for software regarding security. They adviced all the appliations i quoted below.
Comes straight from Microsoft also.

But most people don t want to wast time doing it and they also don t have the skills to do this.

But yes you are right about all the rest.

Still if NASA or some other powerfull rich organizations wants you they will get your data , they ll find a way that was my point but my explanation was kinda poorly ..

Sql injections are still a popular way to infect computers mostly computers with outdated software

GarIT

Seven forums is not in any way related to Microsoft, yes it is windows themed but they know no more than each individual poster, anyone could say anything.

One of the suggestions you made was to use Microsoft Security Essentials and your only defence against malware, the team that makes Security Essentials has stated that it is not safe enough to use to prevent malware and should only ever be used to supplement your security software.

You will not achieve more than 80% protection with free products unless you are an IT expert. For me as would be with a lot of people 80% protection isn't good enough to security my identity and money.

Sure if you are never going to shop or bank online I would recommend using free products, the majority of computer users now shop or bank online and free products aren't up to a good enough standard. As I said in a previous post a free product will protect your computer but only a paid product will protect you.

D_BEAR

FuzzyCraic wrote: »

Still if NASA or some other powerfull rich organizations wants you they will get your data , they ll find a way that was my point but my explanation was kinda poorly ..

I don't think NASA are looking for your data.

NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NSA - National Security Agency