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User error? Does not compute!
This just happened.
Irate guy calls me, complaining about pop-ups, his antivirus doesn't run, can't access Chrome, etc.
He just had Windows reloaded in his computer in May - so why isn't it working now? I very calmly explain that spyware and viruses are user error which we don't cover, and *somebody* had to have clicked on something because that junk software (PC speedup, My PC Backup, Driver Updater, etc.) is all garbage and doesn't spontaneously appear like Ben Kenobi's ghost in Empire Strikes Back. It's there because SOMEONE CLICKED ON SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE.
So guy brings it in. He's at least a bit more calm as I told him if it was a simple infection I'd knock it out for no charge. It also helps that he's about 5'6 and I'm about 6'1/375 pounds. That little factoid helps quite a bit in negotiating tactics.
Have the guy wait while I fire the computer up - after a few questions and determining the date the offending software was installed - turns out YES. He admitted he clicked on some sort of supposedly free driver update software or something along those lines.
Fortunately it looks like just a few things need to be removed and it's not a horrific infection.
Oh - my favorite part was when he was on the phone: "With the money I spent to have this upgraded I could have purchased a new computer!"
Yeah, jackass - and it would have been MORE vulnerable because new PC's usually only come with a 30 - 60 day trial of antivirus and no antispyware except Windows Defender. I told him the computer didn't matter - it was user error. If someone clicks on something they shouldn't, it doesn't matter how old the computer is.
We're Microsoft and we're here to help
Just FYI to non-computer savvy folks... the latest scam going around is that these guys from Pakistan/India/wherever will call you and claim they're from Microsoft tech support. Your computer is infected but - good news! They'll log in and fix the problem for you.
It's bullshit.
Simplest thing to remember is that Microsoft HATES us. They will never call you for anything and if they do, they will ALWAYS charge you to help. These guys are just going phone number by phone number in sequence and calling each person, hoping they'll fall for their bogus crap. Then they get remotely connected to your computer and infect it and that's when they want to start charging you for "help".
I have a woman's laptop we just had to reload Windows in because she fell for it and they jacked up her computer so bad we couldn't just clean out the junk.
So be wary. And hey - if someone calls you and says they're from Microsoft, feel free to insult them, insult their mothers, etc. If you browse Youtube you'll find people who purposely try to keep them on the phone as long as they can to waste their time and keep them from calling other people. It's the new 419-baiting.
This just happened.
Irate guy calls me, complaining about pop-ups, his antivirus doesn't run, can't access Chrome, etc.
He just had Windows reloaded in his computer in May - so why isn't it working now? I very calmly explain that spyware and viruses are user error which we don't cover, and *somebody* had to have clicked on something because that junk software (PC speedup, My PC Backup, Driver Updater, etc.) is all garbage and doesn't spontaneously appear like Ben Kenobi's ghost in Empire Strikes Back. It's there because SOMEONE CLICKED ON SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE.
So guy brings it in. He's at least a bit more calm as I told him if it was a simple infection I'd knock it out for no charge. It also helps that he's about 5'6 and I'm about 6'1/375 pounds. That little factoid helps quite a bit in negotiating tactics.
Have the guy wait while I fire the computer up - after a few questions and determining the date the offending software was installed - turns out YES. He admitted he clicked on some sort of supposedly free driver update software or something along those lines.
Fortunately it looks like just a few things need to be removed and it's not a horrific infection.
Oh - my favorite part was when he was on the phone: "With the money I spent to have this upgraded I could have purchased a new computer!"
Yeah, jackass - and it would have been MORE vulnerable because new PC's usually only come with a 30 - 60 day trial of antivirus and no antispyware except Windows Defender. I told him the computer didn't matter - it was user error. If someone clicks on something they shouldn't, it doesn't matter how old the computer is.
We're Microsoft and we're here to help
Just FYI to non-computer savvy folks... the latest scam going around is that these guys from Pakistan/India/wherever will call you and claim they're from Microsoft tech support. Your computer is infected but - good news! They'll log in and fix the problem for you.
It's bullshit.
Simplest thing to remember is that Microsoft HATES us. They will never call you for anything and if they do, they will ALWAYS charge you to help. These guys are just going phone number by phone number in sequence and calling each person, hoping they'll fall for their bogus crap. Then they get remotely connected to your computer and infect it and that's when they want to start charging you for "help".
I have a woman's laptop we just had to reload Windows in because she fell for it and they jacked up her computer so bad we couldn't just clean out the junk.
So be wary. And hey - if someone calls you and says they're from Microsoft, feel free to insult them, insult their mothers, etc. If you browse Youtube you'll find people who purposely try to keep them on the phone as long as they can to waste their time and keep them from calling other people. It's the new 419-baiting.
I AM the evil bastard!
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