You wonder how people still fall for the "you have a virus / ransomware" scams

[UsandThem]

And then you get a text message from your mother-in-law stating that her husband was watching YouTube videos, saw a link pop up, and clicked on it. He ended up getting the LogMeIn client on the PC.

After all was said and done, he gave them remote access to the computer, gave them his credit card number over the phone to pay $400 to "fix the virus", and the only thing he couldn't give them at the time was the administrative password, because he didn't know it. The people said they would call back to get it, and that's when he called my mother-in-law to get it. That's the only reason they didn't lose all their pictures on the PC, and of course they have no backups of them.

Luckily she sent me a text asking about it. In the end, they ending up having to cancel their credit card, change their bank account number, and had to factory reset their computer, we live 900 miles away from them. so it's nothing I could personally do to fix it. The scammers who he gave the credit card number to had already tried to charge it multiple times in amounts of $440+.

I had better get one heck of a birthday/Christmas present this year.

Text pic of the client sent to me:

https://imgur.com/a/SRxja

 

[Nashemon]

I do wonder. I really do. Happened to my mom a few years ago. Her PC had been really crappy for a while. So I built a PC for her one Christmas, configured it to run well, installing some good apps on it, and shipped it to her. Paid about $700 total for it plus $30 to ship it (though I told her I only spent $500), and she gave me $300. She called me when she got it and I walked her through plugging it in and logging into it, showing her around Windows 10, etc. She wanted to install her Antivirus on it, so I walked her through that, but she didn't have a key, so she had to call McAfee. I thought she could handle that, but I was wrong.

She Googled "McAfee Support" to get their number, and one of Google's advertisements, which I've warned her many times in the past to be aware of, was for the scam website "Guruaid". She called the number from that and paid them $200 to remote in and install malware. When I found out, I flipped out on her. I was so disappointed. I mean, I saved her $200 (really $400+) she goes and gives that same $200 to someone else when she knows I'm a phone call away.

So I told her to call her credit card company to dispute the charge and cancel it right away. I had to walk her through a ton of stuff on the PC just to get it to a point that I could remote in and clean everything up.

It's just old people, man (I'm generalizing here). They trust too much and they aren't familiar with how computers work and they get taken advantage of all the time.

 

[UsandThem]

Yeah security software was one of the things I asked her about when she first contacted me. She was at work, but said they had a antivirus programs on there.

When she got home and called me, she told me there was a warning down in the icon area about the PC not having any security software active. So I think they must have had a McAfee 30-day free trial you get when buying a prebuilt computer, and they never extended their subscription.

I really felt bad for them. She said her husband hadn't eaten all day because he was so embarrassed by what he did after looking back on it. He's actually a smart guy (great mechanic), but when it comes to tech he just doesn't understand all the dangers that are out there. All it takes is one wrong click.

 

[lxskllr]

Ubuntu saved my mother from the "MS tech support" scam. She's not good at following directions anyway, and when things weren't going right(the desktop isn't anything like Windows), they asked her what her machine was running. She said she "didn't know, my son set it up", they hung up on her :^D

 

[Rifter]

Ubuntu saved my mother from the "MS tech support" scam. She's not good at following directions anyway, and when things weren't going right(the desktop isn't anything like Windows), they asked her what her machine was running. She said she "didn't know, my son set it up", they hung up on her :^D

This is exactly why my mom and mom in law are both on linux. just so much easier that way, so much less support needed on my part. Anyone claiming computer illiterate people cant use linux are dead wrong.

 

[XavierMace]

Fortunately I've got my parents trained reasonably well as they get scam calls all the time. Plus, most of their important stuff is on a separate PC. Although I should pitch the idea of buying a small NAS to my dad for Christmas.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Had this happen to some friends and neighbors. Most recently one of my neighbors. They wanted me to fix it, but didn't offer to pay me anything. Then they acted like I was a jerk, for not working on their PC.

 

[UsandThem]

Had this happen to some friends and neighbors. Most recently one of my neighbors. They wanted me to fix it, but didn't offer to pay me anything. Then they acted like I was a jerk, for not working on their PC.

But your time and skills should be free for everyone, dang it!

 

[John Connor]

I've taught my mom how to use the computer and I have it pretty well buttoned up. For one, the use of uBlock goes a long way. I have them always launch the browser in Sandboxie and they have Bitdefender Free installed among other security precautions.

They probably could go with Linux, but I really don't want to have to mess with a Linux printer driver.

 

[OutHouse]

I've taught my mom how to use the computer and I have it pretty well buttoned up. For one, the use of uBlock goes a long way. I have them always launch the browser in Sandboxie and they have Bitdefender Free installed among other security precautions.

They probably could go with Linux, but I really don't want to have to mess with a Linux printer driver.

I've tried flavors of Linux on my kids machines and gave up. Could not get wifi and other drivers to work. This was a few years ago so maybe I would have better success if I tried again.