Watch out for Computer Scams :o)

So today I have decided to share what happened to me yesterday rather than the usual post.

I use my laptop as a means to access the Internet.  About a week ago I downloaded something that gave me a new search engine, which is where the problem began.  This search engine was terrible!!  It wouldn't search for hardly anything and it made my computer soooo slow.  I was hating it!!  I couldn't find it to uninstall ~ I was stuck.  As the days went by things were getting slower and slower.  Little pop~ups were popping up saying, wait or kill pages.  I was killing pages like crazy.

Then yesterday I was on my super slow surf board surfing from blog to blog (part of the routine).  The phone rang and they said it was Microsoft, which I use.  There were very hard to understand, but patient.  The told me how my computer had been running slow and about the problems I was having.  They knew my name and where I surf.  I was clearly in their sights as the next target.  They asked me if I would like them to help me fix the problem.  So I figure, why not.  So I say, sure.  They tell me a couple of hot keys to show me the problems that I have been having and have me confirm this is the problem.  Well, they can help me, and if I talk to a technician there COULD be a small fee.  So I say, okay.

Then I get to a page that I need an access key which is six digits.  They tell me what "my access key" is.  I type it in, and presto!!  They have all control of my laptop.  :o(  I tell them that someone else has control of my computer.  They tell me it is the technician.  Well, I thought I was going to talk to the tech.  Next thing, they tell me I have to pay $220.00 minimal to get my computer back or they will crash it.  This is for 2 years of coverage or $299.00 for 3 years of coverage or $349.00 for the lifetime of the computer.  Now I'm thinking you called me, I didn't call you.  You are out of your mind if you think I'm giving you my Credit Card!  I tell them I want to talk to my husband.  They say, that's okay.  I tell them he isn't here right now.  They will wait.  I get him on the phone and he agrees, it is a scam.  They just waited on the other phone.  I pulled the battery and hung up the phone.

Then I called a guy I know that works with computers.  I tell him what has happened and ask if he has heard of anything like this going around.  He has, but not to this extent.  He was going to do some research on it.  He said that most people would pay the money to save the computer.  I felt like my computer was a hostage. . .and it wasn't going to survive.

I told him I had ran my antivirus and was cleaning up everything I could.  He recommend malwarebytes.org  I downloaded this, there is a free version for 55 days.  It cleaned things up really well.  My computer is back to running like it was the other day.  :o)

Just wanted to let you have a little reminder of the schemes that people come up with, and a reminder don't give out your information to someone you DIDN'T call!