Jul 26, 2014
If the scammer accessed your grandmother's computer, they probably did one or more of the following:
• Disabled the anti-virus software
• Added a lot of malware to the computer
• Copied the Contact List (so they can email your soon-to-be ex-friends)
• Copied any financial data or passwords they could find
• Compromised the ID
• "Zombied" the computer, so it would respond to THEIR commands sent via internet
• Deleted some important files
• Asked for money to repair the damage they caused
Now, what can you do?
1. Pull the cables on the computer, so it cannot access the internet.
2. Change ALL passwords stored on the computer
3. Run FULL malware scans on the computer, in "SAFE" mode!
4. Change the passwords again, particularly if the malware scans showed anything
5. Inform your bank and credit card companies
6. Sign up for credit monitoring, and check the status frequently
7. Possibly bring the computer to a local repair shop, and tell them the story.
8. Tell friends what happened, so they can be aware of strange emails from you
9. Plug in the computer only AFTER all the above have been done
10. Change the passwords on all online accounts. Even better - access a "safe", uninfected computer, and chance your online account passwords RIGHT NOW.
She was exposed to one scam, and might be susceptible to others mentioned on this site:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts_rev.html
Honest computer companies do NOT cold-call people to tell them their computers need fixing!
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cold-Call-Tech ... on-150170.shtml
Remember to return here, to 800notes.com, after you look at any of the information at the above sites, either to post more information, or to let us know you avoided the scam or fixed the computer correctly.