PC virus scam warning (From St Helens Star)

PC virus scam warning

9:33am Monday 14th February 2011 in News

UNWARY computer users are being scammed out of £185 by unscrupulous conmen.

Now St HelensTrading Standards officers are urging people to be aware of unsolicited phone calls from people pretending to be calling on behalf of Microsoft.

The scammers tell people that they have a serious virus on their PC, they say the information has come from the householder’s Internet provider.

After completing the first section they are directed to their PC and to a website to download various “fixes” for the problem, yet this hands the control of the PC to the unknown caller.

After this, the householder is asked to pay a fee of £185 for a fake subscription to the imaginary prevention service.

Other scams of this kind have been seen and heard of before yet the fee they are asked to hand over is significantly lower than the amount requested by this new scammer.

Councillor Joe De’Asha, Cabinet member for Environmental Protection says: “If you receive an unsolicited telephone call from someone claiming to be Microsoft hang up. Microsoft technical Support do not make calls of this nature.”

If you have any concerns about the story contact 08454 04 05 06 for advice and to report a scam call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.