Have you been e-mailed a random file about the coronavirus? Don’t open it and don’t click on any links! Hackers are starting to exploit fears about the ongoing outbreak to infect people’s computers with malware.
Windows 7 has being retired January 14, 2020. Is your computer running Windows 7? If so, I would recommend upgrading to Windows 10 as soon as possible. You will no longer be protected from security risks.
Watch out for fake iCloud messages coming from icloud@apple.com. They will tell you that you have used up your 5GB of free iCloud storage and want you to click on the Account Settings link to update. This isn’t Apple and you will be entering your username and password on a hacker site. If you get this email message or one similar and think it might be true don’t click on any of the links and instead go directly to the businesses website. For example: appleid.apple.com.
March 31st was World Backup Day. Are you backing up your files and photos? If not, please start. I get calls from people who have had a computer crash and lost all their photos. Some I can save if they aren’t to damaged, some I can not. Backup!
There is a new email scam circulating around people’s inboxes. A password of yours will appear in the subject line that was bought from a hacked website. They will then tell you they got this information from hacking your computer. (They didn’t…it was from a compromised website.) If you are currently using this password anywhere change those passwords right away. But DON’T pay them the money they are asking for. They didn’t get on your computer, they don’t have video evidence of you doing something that they are going to email to your contact list. They are just trying to scare you into sending them money. Here is a link to the RCMP’s website so you can read more about it. http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/fraud-escroquerie/types/extortion-extorsion/index-eng.htm#extortion
A new extortion scam is threatening consumers that a video containing explicit content (i.e. masturbation) will be made public if they do not pay a fee via bitcoin immediately. Consumers are receiving emails from scammers citing a password that they are currently using or previously used as proof that they have hacked their computer while they were visiting a pornographic site and as a result, access to the webcam was gained and all proceedings were recorded. To prevent any humiliation, scammers urge victims to pay a “confidentiality fee” by bitcoin or the video will be shared with all family members, colleagues and friends.
If you get an email saying it is from the court system and you need to appear in court on a certain day, do not open the attachment. The court system wouldn’t contact you first through email. This is a scam email that when you open the email attachment, installs malware.
I received an email supposedly from Netflix. It looked very official and used their logos. However, it was sent to an email account I have that Netflix doesn’t have. And when I moused over the address of the sender (that said Netflix) it was actually an address in the UK. Please double check before you click on any links on any email messages you receive.
If you get a call from someone saying they are from Microsoft, hang up. Microsoft will not call you and tell you that there is something wrong with your computer.
Always make sure you have an update and active anti-virus program. I also recommend a good malware/spyware cleaner.