What’s up everybody? It’s Eddie Z here from EZ Trading Computers, and you’re watching Trading Computer Secrets.
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In this video, we’re going to talk about a few different Internet scams that are still going on out there, and that you need to be aware of. Specifically, we’re going to talk about something called Ransomware and another scam we’ve seen called the Tech Support Scam.
One scam that’s been going around for years is something called Ransomware. How it works is that one day you’re sitting working at your computer and all of a sudden your computer completely locks up and you get a big pop up with a warning message that may look something like one of these messages. It may appear as an FBI warning, an IRS warning, or some kind of virus warning.
What has really happened is that your computer has been infected with something called Ransomware. Essentially, a third party has encrypted and essentially locked all of the files on your computer. In other words, your computer is now being held for ransom.
The message usually states that you can remove the virus or unlock the computer if you call a phone number. Once you call the number, the operator convinces you that your computer is infected with viruses or malware.
They claim they need remote access to your computer to fix the problem, and the person on the other line will convince you to pay them to unlock the computer. They’ll ask for payment in the form of a credit card, a wire transfer, or even Bitcoin.
If you get Ransomware on your computer, DO NOT call the number that appears on the screen.
If you purchased your computer from EZ Trading Computers, please give us a call. Ransomware removal is one of the free services you get with our lifetime technical support. If your computer was not purchased from us, please give us a call anyway, and we’ll do what we can to remove the Ransomware.
Here are several ways you can prevent and counter Ransomware.
(1) Never click on links or open attachments from suspicious or spam emails. If you get an email from someone that you don’t know with a link or an attachment, definitely do not click on that link or attachment.
(2) Even if you get an email from someone you know, but the topic or the subject is suspicious, don’t click on the links or attachments. A lot of times you’ll get an email that says check this out, with a link potentially from a friend. And as it turns out, your friend’s email got hacked. This is where most Ransomware and viruses come from.
(3) Make sure that you are keeping your computer completely up-to-date with Windows updates. Also all the Windows Defender updates. Windows Defender is your base virus and malware protection program, and you want to make sure it’s completely up-to-date.
If you’re running another virus program, make sure you get all the updates for that program as well. Also make sure that all of your other software is up-to-date as well. Check for updates with the manufacturers.
Now another major scam that unfortunately has happened to a few of our customers is what is known as the Tech Support Scam.
Scammers are actually cold calling people and saying they’re calling from Windows Technical Support, or they’re calling from Microsoft Technical Support, or they’re calling from Dell Technical Support, and reporting to the user that their computer has picked up a virus or malware, and that the caller needs to log into your computer to remove it.
The scammers then ask for access to your machine. They encrypt the data and ask for a fee to clean the machine.
Now, please don’t fall for this scam. Please be aware that nobody is ever going to call you from Microsoft if you have any issues with your computer.
So again, if you ever get a call from someone saying they’re from Tech Support or they’re from Microsoft Tech Support, and that they have remotely detected an issue with your computer, and that they need to log in, simply hang up the phone. This is the Tech Support Scam call.
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Thanks for watching, and if you haven’t already, please feel free to download our Complete Guide to Trading Computers by clicking the link. This guide is packed with great tips so you can totally optimize your trading experience.
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My name’s Eddie Z. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next video.