Phone scammers target PC users with phony virus reports
by telephone
Viruses and Spyware dominate local computer
service business
Google gets into website building
Canada improves record on software piracy
VIA Rail launches on-board Internet service
RIM reaches final BlackBerry settlement with NTP
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Phone scammers target PC users with phony virus reports
By Patrick Meikle |
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NOTE: Since we ran this story last week, the local mainstream press have picked up the story!
Ottawa Citizen - Microsoft phone scam to blame for 70% of reports
Better Business Bureau -  BBB Scam Alert: Microsoft Doesn't Need to Fix Your Computer
(Clarence-Rockland, January 12, 2012) We have to thank our friends at Compufix (Jeff, Ray and Bobby Luttmer) for alerting us
to this information.
Many people in the 613-833- and 613-446- telephone exchanges (Cumberland/Rockland) are being called by fraudsters
purporting to be a “tech support specialist” from Microsoft. They are telling people that their computers are coming
up with error messages and may be infected with a virus. They then ask the "customer" to log on to a
website that will help them to eliminate the virus.
(Click on pic to enlarge)
According to Ray Luttmer, if you go to the website, the scammers will then actually infect your computer with a
virus, then they will get back to you to "repair" your system and remove the virus, and then charge you
money for  doing the work.
Ray's advise to you is: "hang up!" (Note reference
to story below.)
Ray advises that the caller is often rude, exerts pressure and will even use foul language. If you ask inquiring
questions or irritate the caller, they will hang up on you.
Several Canaan Connexion readers have advised that they have been called, sometimes two and three times (suggesting
that more than one caller is involved or that they do not keep track of the phone numbers they call). One reader
told us that he advised the caller that he used a Mac computer, not a PC, but the caller persisted. He then asked
the caller, "Well if you are from Microsoft, how come does your number come up as "private number"
and does not show a legitimate "Microsoft" phone number. At that point the obtrusive caller hung up.
(Sometimes a phone number will come up on Caller ID, but often as not there is none.)
This telephone scam has been going on locally for several weeks, but internationally it has been in existence for
many months.
A blog by ZDNet’s Ed Bott summarizes the scam like this:
Online con artists are targeting PC users worldwide in a brazen scam. It starts with a phone call from a “tech
support specialist” who warns that your computer is infected with a virus. To fix things, all you have to do is
give the caller remote access to your PC. Here’s what happens next...
He goes on to say:
The scam has been around for a few years. Charles Arthur at the Guardian UK wrote about a similar scam last year, noting that it had been “going
on quietly since 2008 but has abruptly grown in scale in 2011.” He wrote about it again in March 2011.
As Ed Bott says, and the Canaan Connexion concurs:
Most readers of this blog are sophisticated computer users who would laugh out loud at an attempt like this. But
you probably have friends, family members, or clients who could use a heads-up on this one. If you get a call from
someone claiming to have detected a virus on your PC, just hang up.
To read the full blog click here.
You can find more on this scam by doing a Google search... examples:
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Viruses, Spyware dominate computer service
business
By Patrick Meikle |
|
According to the Compufix team, much of their
current service is devoted to restoring clients' computers that have been ravaged by viruses and malicious "spyware".
Owner Jeff Luttmer, who operates the business
along with sons Raymond and Bob says that most of the viruses invade home computers for three reasons:
- downloading material from the Internet,
- participating in on-line chat rooms, and
- opening infected attachments.
Part of the problem lies in not having appropriate anti-virus software to stop incoming viruses
and not being vigilant enough to recognize bogus e-mails when they arrive in the "in-box".
Much of the infected materials come from kids who are downloading "free" music and
movies and often times images or video "samples" from pornographic Web sites.
When people use chat rooms they leave an open channel direct to one's hard drive. This allows
unscrupulous hackers to access a home computer and do pretty much what they pleae with it.
Regarding e-mail, besides again having anti-virus software that will stop infected messages,
a good rule of thumb is not to open anything from anyone that you do not recognize, however tempting the offers
might be.
The more you use the Internet, the more you participate in online activities or the more you
have your e-mail address associated with your own Web site, the more vulnerable you become to junk mail and virus
attacks.
The junk mail can be very enticing with offers of free bargains and legal, medical or financial
advice, particularly when the spammer uses your real name or writes a friendly "Subject:" line that makes
you want to believe that it is someone you know.
"Phishing" has also become a big part of the Internet scamming and we will deal with
that in another article.
In the meantime, take the Compufix advice
and be vigilant. It's not that they don't want your business, but you don't need the hassle of having your computer
tied up in the shop and you can certainly put your money to better use.
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Google gets into website building
Google, already the world's most popular spot for finding websites, is aiming to become the
go-to place for creating Web sites too.
The Mountain View-based company is taking its first step toward that goal Thursday with the debut of a free service
designed for high-tech neophytes looking for a simple way to share information with other people working in the
same company or attending the same class in school.
With only a few clicks, just about anyone will be able to quickly set up and update a Web site featuring wide an
array of material, including pictures, calendars and video from Google Inc.'s YouTube subsidiary, said Dave Girouard,
general manager of the division overseeing the new application.
“We are literally adding an edit button to the Web,” Girouard said.
All sites created on the service will run on one of Google's computers.
For more information click here.
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| Canada improves record on software piracy |
By Ottawa Business Journal Staff
Tue, May 23, 2006
Canada is making progress toward eliminating software piracy, but one-third of the software used
by Canadians last year was still obtained illegally. More...
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| VIA Rail launches on-board Internet service |
By Ottawa Business Journal
Staff
Via Rail Canada's Benoit Laporte surfs the Internet using Via's new wi-fi connection on board trains that travel
the Quebec City - Windsor corridor. (Darren Brown, OBJ)
If you are travelling on VIA Rail between Quebec City and Windsor, you will now be able to get the Internet on
your laptop computer. VIA has formally launched the first wireless broadband Internet service for passengers traveling
in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor.
The job of turning every VIA Rail coach into a moving Wi-Fi hotspot is almost complete. All VIA 1 first class coaches
will be set up for Wi-Fi service by the end of April, with economy coaches fully equipped by the end of the year.
In addition, VIA is establishing hotspots at each of its 22 stations in the corridor.
An icon located in each car tells passengers whether Wi-Fi service is available.
VIA decided to provide Wi-Fi access after it surveyed its passengers and found most would take more train trips
if Internet service was available. Eighty per cent said they'd be willing to pay a reasonable fee, says Benoit
Laporte, VIA Rail's e-marketing manager.
Ottawa's PointShot Wireless provides the hardware for on-train communications and connectivity management.
"They were the first and they are the best," says Mr. Laporte.
The Internet service is provided by satellite, and offers download speeds of up to 3 Mbps in urban centres and
1 Mbps in rural regions. A server installed in the front car of the train is linked to Wi-Fi terminals in each
of the other coaches, as well as the satellite teleport in Hamilton.
Earlier experiments involving Bell Canada and Telus proved unsatisfactory because of poor coverage and spotty service.
The Wi-Fi service costs $8.95 for 24 hours of access, or $46 for a monthly account. Short-term hookups are available
for $3.99 for 15 minutes, plus 30 cents a minute.
VIA expects the service to be popular with business users who can get more done while traveling, as well as with
students traveling back and forth to university. VIA will soon extend the service to offer TV-on-demand as well
as movies for an additional charge.
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| RIM reaches final BlackBerry settlement with NTP |
Fri, 03 Mar 2006 18:48:04 EST
CBC News
Research in Motion (RIM) has reached a $612.5-million US settlement with arch
rival NTP Inc., ending years of legal wrangling over patents that threatened to shut down service to its popular
BlackBerry wireless devices in the United States.
(Research In Motion (RIM)
is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications
market.)
The Waterloo-based maker of the BlackBerry announced late Friday that it has signed a definitive licensing and
settlement agreement, ending the long dispute.
The settlement has already been approved by the court. All litigation will now cease.
"The agreement eliminates the need for any further court proceedings or decisions relating to damages or injunctive
relief," the company said in an announcement after markets closed Friday. More...
BlackBerry settlement reached
Research in Motion has settled its BlackBerry patent dispute with NTPhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11659304/
RIM pays up, taking 'one for the team'
The makers of the popular BlackBerry wireless messaging service left little doubt that they felt fleeced after
paying $612.5 million to license patents they long denounced as illegitimate.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11660557/
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Phone (613) 446-7501
Fax (613) 446-1013
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P.O. Box 299
Rockland, Ontario
K4K 1K4
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Fri. 10AM - 8PM.
Sat. 10AM - 5PM.
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