amygeerlings

Q: Is my computer safe or it is compromise?

Hi,

Please help I'm not a tech savvy I just need your help to give me a peace of mind. I was working on my mac pro and a screen pop out telling me that my they blocked my computer because of the threat of having a virus and I need to ring them up in 5 minutes coz it may corrupt my files etc,i got panic so I ring them up so naive of me thinking it was from apple  support so I authorise them to access my computer. US $299.00 dollars later thats what they charge me for fixing my computer coz they told me it wasn't functioning properly I know I'm ****.

My question is? Is my computer safe or it is compromise? They put all this anti virus, ABP.

Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

Kind Regards,

Grandma

Posted on Sep 2, 2016 3:12 PM

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Q: Is my computer safe or it is compromise?

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  • by Carolyn Samit,Helpful

    Carolyn Samit Carolyn Samit Aug 31, 2016 3:03 AM in response to amygeerlings
    Level 10 (119,535 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 31, 2016 3:03 AM in response to amygeerlings

    It's a scam.

     

    If you are using Safari, go to the Safari menu bar, click Safari > Preferences then select the Privacy tab  then click: Remove All Website Data then quit and relaunch Safari while holding down the Shift key.

     

    Anti virus software is useless on a Mac.

     

    The best way to avoid scams is to keep your Mac's OS X software up to date.

  • by stedman1,Helpful

    stedman1 stedman1 Aug 31, 2016 2:41 AM in response to amygeerlings
    Level 9 (73,198 points)
    Apple Watch
    Aug 31, 2016 2:41 AM in response to amygeerlings

    Sorry, but you have been scammed. Any such pop up message will always be a scam. Unfortunately, you have allowed the criminals to access your computer. Please contact your bank and dispute the charge, and inform them of the fraud. Then restore your computer, using a backup that predates the criminal act.

  • by John Galt,Solvedanswer

    John Galt John Galt Aug 29, 2016 1:53 PM in response to amygeerlings
    Level 8 (48,395 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 29, 2016 1:53 PM in response to amygeerlings

    Please read Phony "tech support" / "ransomware" popups and web pages.

     

    By allowing criminals to access and use your Mac, it should no longer be considered secure.

     

    Your actions at this point can range from doing nothing at all, to erasing the Mac and reconfiguring it. Separately, it would be prudent to assume the intruder has gained sufficient information from it to effectively commit identity theft. Computer tampering and identity theft are legal matters that go well beyond the scope of this support site, and for which you should seek appropriate legal counsel. Therefore I can only offer technical guidance regarding your Mac itself, which may be considered evidence in a criminal proceeding that only you can decide to take upon receiving that counsel.

     

    At a minimum it should be immediately disconnected from the Internet (unplug its Ethernet cable and turn Wi-Fi "off") after which you can decide whether to preserve it in its present condition as evidence, or its contents completely erased, permanently removing that evidence. Decide how you want to proceed and write back.

  • by amygeerlings,

    amygeerlings amygeerlings Sep 2, 2016 2:24 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 2, 2016 2:24 AM in response to John Galt

    Dear John

    Thank you so much for your answer. However I cannot afford to spend more for legal counsel but really worried about identity theft. Is there anything else I can do? I really appreciate your help.Thank you very much.

    Kind Regards,

    Grandma

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 2, 2016 6:27 AM in response to amygeerlings
    Level 8 (48,395 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 2, 2016 6:27 AM in response to amygeerlings

    Yes.

     

    Unauthorized use of someone else's computer is a crime, and has been for many years. If you are in the United States, consider filing a complaint with the FBI: https://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx/. Elsewhere, research a similarly qualified law enforcement agency, or even your local police. Although it is very likely the people committing these crimes are outside their jurisdiction, reports such as yours can be useful in addressing similar criminal activity.

     

    It's very disheartening to hear stories such as yours. Although it is very likely that the criminals are simply looking to make a quick buck, it would be irresponsible of me or anyone else to say there is nothing else to worry about. Having allowed unauthorized access to your Mac, there is no way I would be satisfied with anything less than erasing it completely. That choice is yours to make.


    You are also very likely to get your $299 charge reversed by calling your bank or credit card issuer, depending on how you paid. This is an obvious case of fraud.


    Other than that, you can help others by telling them about this common scam. It's just a 21st century version of similar confidence schemes that have existed forever. Take that User Tip, forward it, email it, print it, or mail it to anyone else you know who could use it.