Watch out for this scam going around.  The caller will make it sound as if he’s Microsoft Certified Professional of a technician for your Antivirus Manufacturer. He may know either your name or one of your household dweller’s and may use it as if to demonstrate that this is not a cold call.

Then you will be told that there are some pretty nasty files, viruses, malware and Trojans infecting a number of computers and how a big percentage of Microsoft Windows users have had “disastrous computer damage”.
Side Note: these scammers are extremely persistent, if you politely refuse to follow their directions, they can be extremely rude and demanding. Even if you hang up once, they might call again immediately.

Should the caller be successful in triggering your concern about this issue, he will begin guiding you through some “troubleshooting”. You might be asked to open the windows Event Viewer where you will be pointed to notice several Errors and Warnings. Sure, errors and warnings are common in the Event Viewer, but of course these scammers are relying on the unfamiliarity of their victims and hope to scare them and at the same time gain credibility.

Then the caller gives you the “tour of horrors” through the Event Viewer, and you will hear how dangerous these errors and warnings are; and how it can degrade into a disaster that might even result in a “hard drive crash”.

Once the apocalyptic vision of your computer’s demise is masterly painted over the phone speaker, the technician will kindly offer to remote in into your computer and fix the problem for you.

By this time, you have had ample time to know what this helpful “Microsoft Technician” is planning for your computer system: Steal sensitive information, contact lists, passwords, turn your computer into an illegal web server, and sell you unwanted subscriptions to computer support services.

Remember, Microsoft or your Antivirus manufacturer won’t ever be calling you over the phone to gain access to your computer. Use your digital power and give the scammer a chance to go into a monologue: Hello?… Hello?… Are you there?..