Steve Smith explains why you should be wary of anyone telling you, your computer is infected.
Episode #5-39 released on June 17, 2015
Many of us have anti-virus solutions, and we are aware, for the most part, when our computers are infected. However, lately, we have two new trends occurring, we have pop-up messages saying our computers are infected and to either click the link, or call the number. And, we have people cold calling us to say our computers are infected, and they offer either free or paid help. Should you be worried?
Yes, you should be worried. While many people may claim not to be gullible, a blooming business in this section denotes a massive enough estimation of so called gullible people who can be convinced into believing anything, especially if it is possible.
What should you be looking for, in determining the possibility of a scam, or fraud?
First, this may sound counter intuitive to some people, but even when it is possible to have an infection or malware in your computer, presume the advertisement, window, and caller are wrong. Many tactics they may employ will state things like Microsoft has determined your computer has an infection. There are various laws around the world, in many countries that prohibit the communications between a company and an end user, so chances are, Microsoft, even if they knew you had an infection, will not call you to notify you.
If you have an infection in your computer, chances are there are far cheaper ways of getting it clean than a solution offered by phone. One such company, called EZ Tech Support, has been found to sell users a so called perpetual license for $300, and they offer to clean your computer for another $250. By the time you are finished a phone call with them, which may take 20 minutes, you have spent $550, and haven't left your house. Worst, the product they sell, Defender Plus, which appears to be valid, has a feature set that should only cost $30 per year. Since, the majority of people do not keep computers for ten years anymore, this is a waste of money. Furthermore, it has been shown that the antivirus, even if it was real, is shown to crash a lot.
Now, let us talk about how much a real computer cleaning costs, and how much to pay for an antivirus solution.
Keep in mind, the best solution is to always format your computer. This guarantees all infections are gone. However, if you cannot, the norm is $75 for a cleaning. This is a fixed price. If you want a paid solution for an antivirus, you can expect to pay roughly $30 to $45. This means, excluding tax, you are paying $120 dollars for a cleaning, not $550. And, it includes a year of a valid license.
If you receive a call like this, see any banner or email telling you to communicate with anyone immediately, even see a full screen warning that suggests you pay anyone for anything. Do not pay anyone for anything before seeking help at a reputable computer boutique. Assume all information dictated to you by e-mail, phone call, or even through your own computer screen is false, fraud, or worst. And, as an extra layer of protection, never follow any instructions regarding anything, anyone claims will help your computer, including but not limited to allowing remote access to your computer.
Host : Steve Smith | Music : Jonny Lee Hart | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Productions