# Sticky  Computer Safety ,Important Public Service Announcement :)



## Jesthar

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be computer support, they may say they know the 'serial number' or 'licence number' of your PC.

This, of course, is a lie. The number they will get you to look at is the Windows CLSID, which if you have a shop bought computer that runs Windows is pretty much guaranteed to be:

ZFSendToTarget=CLSID{888DCA60-FC0A-11CF-8F0F-00C04FD7D062}

They will then try to get you to go to a website that lets them remotely take over your computer, such as AMMYY or LetMeIn, so they can either install malware or lock you out and hold you to ransom.

Here endeth the Public Service Announcement. Moral of the story is, if you're going to try and scam someone in this fashion it's probably not a good idea to call a computing professional, especially before their alarm goes off in the morning making them worry there is a family emergency. They might just get tetchy and decide to warn others... 

*UPDATE*

Another new varient I've had in the last few days - "Your router has been hacked and is being used by criminals in the middle of the night"

They then try and persuade you to look up various information on the internet, including possibly typing your e-mail address into an 'error checker' (guaranteed to give you an error) to convince you. Then they start on trying to connect to your computer/get your bank details etc.


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## Siskin

I love telling them that we don't have a computer, they get so puzzled


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## ForestWomble

Siskin said:


> I love telling them that we don't have a computer, they get so puzzled


Reminds me of the time someone phoned me back when I lived in my flat in the town, I had just moved in and only owned a bed, microwave and had an old table and two plastic chairs in the lounge. 
They were trying to sell insurance and they asked if my washing machine, oven, fridge, freezer etc were insured and if not, wanted to insure with them, I had a great time allowing them to name each item in turn saying No for the 'is it insured' bit, then when they asked if I wanted to insure, just said 'no point, I don't have any of the items listed' Poor guy didn't know what to say


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## SusieRainbow

The computer scam happened to a friend of mine, it took her weeks to sort it all out. Thanks for warning everyone , these scammers are very cunning and malicious.
I'll make it 'sticky'


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## Lurcherlad

I sometimes play along with them for a while and pretend to be turning the PC on, etc. but it's taking ages cos we have bad broadband ...... All while sitting on the sofa nowhere near the PC, which isn't even plugged in! 

It's possible to keep them hanging for quite a while! 

I figure, while I'm wasting their time they aren't ruining someone's life! :Finger


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## Jesthar

Lurcherlad said:


> I sometimes play along with them for a while and pretend to be turning the PC on, etc. but it's taking ages cos we have bad broadband ...... All while sitting on the sofa nowhere near the PC, which isn't even plugged in!
> 
> It's possible to keep them hanging for quite a while!
> 
> I figure, while I'm wasting their time they aren't ruining someone's life! :Finger


I do too if I have the time and inclination - I and Mum have an ongoing competition to see who can keep them on the phone the longest. 

She doesn't even have a computer, but she's currently winning!


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## FeelTheBern

Try telling them that you have an Apple Mac. That truly irritates them. Say that you're on the computer but you can't find what they're asking you to look for because you aren't on a Windows PC.


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## Guest

@Lurcherlad and @Jesthar reminds me of this genius man


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## Lurcherlad

Brilliant!


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## Valanita

Siskin said:


> I love telling them that we don't have a computer, they get so puzzled


I do that too.


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## FeelTheBern

A technologically inept relative of mine actually believed one of these scammers' claims and as a result his computer became infected with a virus. Even if the scammers only manage to trick one person every day, they have still succeeded.


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## Jesthar

ouesi said:


> @Lurcherlad and @Jesthar reminds me of this genius man


Oh, brilliant! :Hilarious There are some excellent scam baiting sites out there, some of the things they manage to get the scammers to do is hilarious!


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## Sled dog hotel

I seem to get spates of scam calls. The latest was someone saying they were from BT and that there is a problem with the router and I need to switch my computer on so they can sort it out. I asked for a telephone number and name so I could verify it with BT (knowing it was a scam) they gave me a mobile number and the name of Steve Barker after a big pause the very English sounding name didn't tally with the person who obviously seemed to be having trouble with the English language coupled with a very heavy accent. Obviously I didn't phone back, but someone phoned back again stating the same thing, and when I said that's Odd I'm not with BT after a big pause obviously thrown with what I had said they put the phone down.


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## houndog

The level which these scammers will go to is quite frightening. The ones going round at the moment range from receiving an email or call from the Tax office stating that you owe them money to an email from Greater Manchester Police stating that you have been caught speeding and need to pay a fine,


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## Jobeth

My parents got an email allegedly from the hotel they were staying at saying they needed to confirm their booking by giving their credit card details. They had paid in full and rang the hotel to query it - using the direct number and not the one in the email. The hotel hadn't sent an email. They had gone through one of the comparison sites and think that is how someone had found out where they were staying.

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/home-safety-and-security/phone-scams/common-phone-scams/


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## cheekyscrip

We just got confirmation we bought extraordinarily pricey Ipad cover and some such. We just do not open those. Just asked the kids if they got anything online...

Worse though! Got email from my boss to produce certain payment in a day. 

As normally my boss sends goofy emails that did not sit right at all.

We found out what email it was from and just informed our IT security.

That is scary.

If we were not sending inane stuff in our emails....


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## ForestWomble

ouesi said:


> @Lurcherlad and @Jesthar reminds me of this genius man


THAT was Fantastic! :Hilarious

I'm out of breath for laughing so hard.


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## ForestWomble

Having enjoyed the video posted by @ouesi I found another one.






This guy is so good!


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## Guest

Animallover26 said:


> Having enjoyed the video posted by @ouesi I found another one.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This guy is so good!


He has his own channel, I think he actually makes a living now just off replying to spam and making videos about it  
And yes, he is totally hilarious!


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## 5r6ubertbe6y

Another scam is the HMRC scam. Scammers from India pretending to be HMRC officers phoning you and telling you that you owe tax and you will go to prison if you don't pay. HMRC never phone you, they always write letters.


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## Jess Owen

MissMiloKitty said:


> Another scam is the HMRC scam. Scammers from India pretending to be HMRC officers phoning you and telling you that you owe tax and you will go to prison if you don't pay. HMRC never phone you, they always write letters.


True! Ive had this one too. In addition to OPs comment, I would say to generally be cautious of any callers these days too many scammers out there :Meh
I always field numbers through wesites and other similar resources to see if its a scam, or search the nature of the call through google or contact the company directly. I get ones sometimes that say its my bank and moneys gone out and when I ring my bank they always say its a scam and they did not ring me.


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## Magic Waves

Well i tell them in certain terms they're spam and to off but my hubby loves winding them up and tells them he works for that company :Hilarious


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## kamui675

I think we can use proxy and vpn sometimes. I also actively use vpn tools like VeePN which is good for protecting your wifi data and access to different forbidden websites. Vpn also can help yout to protect your data from hackers.


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