Criminals pose as Microsoft employees and tell worried users that their computer is infected with a Trojan.
Criminals use this pretext to try to gain access to the computer and then steal sensitive access data or delete valuable data. It's a scam, Microsoft would never call you personally!
The phone rings. Apparently it's a Microsoft employee who is alerting you to a Trojan on your computer. The caller refers you to a technical employee who will call you immediately to help you resolve the alleged problem. This will instruct you to download a file.
One affected person describes the situation:
The pretext for the call – a Trojan
I was called on December 3rd, 2019 at around 10 a.m. from the number +43 87826****. A lady told me that she was going to work for Microsoft. She said my computer was infected with a Trojan that was randomly sending personal information.
She said a technician would call me soon. A gentleman called me with the number +4360941****, he spoke some German, but most of the time he spoke good English. He identified himself as Bill Taylor and wanted to help me with my “problem.”
Download remote maintenance software – this gives criminals access to your computer and can see exactly what you are doing
I was directed to a website that looked like a Microsoft site. There I had to agree that the conversation and all further steps would be recorded for training purposes.
[mk_ad]
Additionally I had to download and install a small file. The man on the phone told me he could now see what the problem was. He told me to look at Windows' running processes and pointed to a process he referred to as the Trojan.
Log in to user accounts – credentials are stolen
Now he told me to list some websites that I visit regularly. I listed Amazon and my bank's website, among other things. He told me to go to Amazon's website. I did this too.
But above the normal login was Microsoft Security Service. He told me to log in to test whether the Trojan was accessing my data. I did that and the screen went black for a while. Afterwards he said everything was fine.
Open online banking – criminals demand access to your account
He wanted to do a second test to be on the safe side. He wanted to know whether other devices in the WiFi network at my home were active. I should download a remote app on my phone. In the meantime, my bank's login page appeared on my computer screen with the Microsoft Security note.
The conversation had now lasted more than 30 minutes and I knew that I could never give out my bank details. I ended the call and shut down the computer.
Criminals have access to your system and cause enormous damage
I was then busy with my children for about 30 minutes. When I got back to the computer I saw that it wasn't turned off. A website with pornographic content was open and in a text document it was written in large letters: We are now in control of your computer.
[mk_ad]
I shut down the computer again, but it restarted by itself and a window for entering a password appeared. I restarted the computer and ran Windows Repair. So I was able to start the computer again. All data was deleted from my computer except for the system hard drive.
What you can do once you have downloaded this file
- Stay calm!
- You have to restart Windows. All your data will be deleted. If you don't know how to set up the system again, we recommend getting help from real IT technicians. Alternatively, you can set up your system again yourself. Instructions can be found, for example, on the Windows support website.
- Contact your bank if the criminals also gained access to your bank account.
- If the criminals have gained access to user accounts and passwords, change your passwords.
- Also file a police report.
Advice & help:
For specific advice requests, please contact the relevant offices that we have listed for you Advice & Help www.watchlist-internet.at/beratung-hilfe
You might also be interested in: Fake Microsoft employees empty accounts
Source: Watchlist Internet
Article image: Shutterstock / By Jane Kelly
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