millsrv

Q: safari is asking us to call 1-866 782-**** because of a security issue. Safari is not currently working. What is this all about?

Safari is asking us to call 1-866 782-**** because of a security issue. Safari is not currently working. What is this all about?

 

 

<Post Edited By Host>

Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Sep 3, 2014 2:22 AM

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Q: safari is asking us to call 1-866 782-**** because of a security issue. Safari is not currently working. What is this all about?

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  • by ckuan,

    ckuan ckuan Sep 2, 2014 4:30 PM in response to millsrv
    Level 7 (33,772 points)
    Sep 2, 2014 4:30 PM in response to millsrv

    This is a scam, delete it.

    You can post it here which what you got.

  • by John Galt,Solvedanswer

    John Galt John Galt Sep 3, 2014 2:17 AM in response to millsrv
    Level 8 (49,154 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2014 2:17 AM in response to millsrv
    1. If Safari is running, force it to quit.
    2. Hold a shift key while launching Safari again.

     

    If the scam webpage continues to appear write back for additional instructions.


  • by millsrv,

    millsrv millsrv Sep 3, 2014 6:36 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 6:36 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John, your instructions worked perfectly. Yesterday Safari would not allow use and it had to be forced to quit. Now, after doing what you suggested it seems to work fine.

    Do you think it is safe to use Safari for shopping and banking now after what happened?

     

    Thanks very much,

    Jim

  • by CaseyTef,Helpful

    CaseyTef CaseyTef Sep 3, 2014 11:03 AM in response to millsrv
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 11:03 AM in response to millsrv

    I had this happen on 9-3. I called the number, spent a half hour on hold, then another half hour talking to the tech. I gave him access to my computer. He went through a bunch of stuff, then told me I have a major problem and need a special software. He said if I went to the apple store, it would be more expensive. I told him that I have Geek Squad protection, and he said I should still buy it through him for $149 for two years. I told him I would try Geek Squad first, then call back if needed.

     

    If this is a scam, it is very clever. I have no idea if he infected my computer or what happens next.

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 3, 2014 11:30 AM in response to millsrv
    Level 8 (49,154 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2014 11:30 AM in response to millsrv

    Do you think it is safe to use Safari for shopping and banking now after what happened?


    Yes.


    In an abundance of caution, go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Privacy, and select Remove All Website Data... > Remove Now.

     

    You will need to sign in again with all websites that require authentication (such as this one).

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 3, 2014 11:29 AM in response to CaseyTef
    Level 8 (49,154 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2014 11:29 AM in response to CaseyTef

    ... I gave him access to my computer.


    That was a very bad idea, and your Mac should no longer be considered secure: Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question

  • by millsrv,

    millsrv millsrv Sep 3, 2014 11:39 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 11:39 AM in response to John Galt

    Thanks John!

    Will do as you have suggested. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your help. I am still waiting to hear back form Apple Security about this and once I do I will post the reply.

    Thanks again,

    Jim

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 3, 2014 11:46 AM in response to millsrv
    Level 8 (49,154 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 3, 2014 11:46 AM in response to millsrv

    The scam website you encountered is very common and can be created by anyone in minutes. If you were to call that telephone number they would gleefully accept credit card payment in whatever amount they can convince you to spend, for the answer that you just got on this site for free. That assumes they know what they're doing, which isn't guaranteed.

     

    A greater threat is that during the phone conversation, they convince you to install a remote access tool (a/k/a RAT - TeamViewer is an example of one) that would enable them to log in to your computer remotely for whatever nefarious purpose that may entail. Clearly you didn't do that.

  • by millsrv,

    millsrv millsrv Sep 3, 2014 11:50 AM in response to CaseyTef
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 11:50 AM in response to CaseyTef

    I Agree about being clever if it is a scam. I called the number but got tired of being on hold and hung up. I called Verison and found out that the number is in fact toll free and in the USA. I am still waiting to hear back from Apple security about this. In the mean time I was able to restore Safari by holding down the Shift Key when launching it. This was a suggestion from another member.

    Thank you to your reply,

    JIm

  • by CaseyTef,Helpful

    CaseyTef CaseyTef Sep 3, 2014 12:08 PM in response to millsrv
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 12:08 PM in response to millsrv

    I very much appreciate John Galt's solutions as well. We can only hope that our experiences will help someone in the future avoid this scam.


    Because Safari was completely blocked, I was not able to go anywhere else on the internet to try and find more information. It looked so official, and I had no idea that somebody could do that on a Mac – that was one of the main reasons I got a Mac. The guy seemed very official until the end when he told me not to purchase through an Apple store.


  • by millsrv,

    millsrv millsrv Sep 3, 2014 12:37 PM in response to CaseyTef
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 3, 2014 12:37 PM in response to CaseyTef

    Yes, having only Safari and then with it blocked certainly limits the options. I also have Google Chrome and Firefox installed and they both worked fine when Safari did nothing. We need more people in this world like John Galt!

  • by Siervo88,

    Siervo88 Siervo88 Sep 6, 2014 11:53 AM in response to CaseyTef
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2014 11:53 AM in response to CaseyTef

    this conversation has help me, today I had the same pop up scam announcement, I was searching in you tube yahoo and google about this no one apparently had this issue before, first I was going to call the original apple phone number because to me this pop seem awkward but the announcement had the apple name I gave it a try but using the call app phone booth just to see if it was the official apple phone number and if it was not who ever was asking me to call wont get my actual phone number, to my surprise it wasn't apple official phone number because I have called the apple official # and is nothing a like, I hung up all worried and sad with only one option in my mind called the apple support number, then I stop and thought for a minute and one clever thought came to my head that is brain lol, the clever thought was this "let me put this phone number in the web to see if it takes me to the official apple website" so I did it and the first pop up search was this article this conversation of you guys read it and follow the instructions they were very successful fix my issue, thank you so much guys, keep up the great work.

  • by Siervo88,

    Siervo88 Siervo88 Sep 6, 2014 11:55 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 6, 2014 11:55 AM in response to John Galt

    Sorry for the second same words reply but I want people to see this is a scam thank you

    this conversation has help me, today I had the same pop up scam announcement, I was searching in you tube yahoo and google about this no one apparently had this issue before, first I was going to call the original apple phone number because to me this pop seem awkward but the announcement had the apple name I gave it a try but using the call app phone booth just to see if it was the official apple phone number and if it was not who ever was asking me to call wont get my actual phone number, to my surprise it wasn't apple official phone number because I have called the apple official # and is nothing a like, I hung up all worried and sad with only one option in my mind called the apple support number, then I stop and thought for a minute and one clever thought came to my head that is brain lol, the clever thought was this "let me put this phone number in the web to see if it takes me to the official apple website" so I did it and the first pop up search was this article this conversation of you guys read it and follow the instructions they were very successful fix my issue, thank you so much guys, keep up the great work.

  • by a drew,

    a drew a drew Sep 13, 2014 10:12 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 10:12 AM in response to John Galt

    Hi, when I try to reopen Safari while holding the shift key, I return to the same page. I think this is because I have Safari set to reopen the same windows from the previous session.

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