Can my iPhone and MacBook Pro be hacked by receiving a call from an weird number?

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Can my iPhone and MacBook Pro be hacked by receiving a call from an weird number?

I received a phone call from a bizarre number. The guy asked me if I could confirm the number I saw on my screen. I did. then strange things started to happen to my MacBook Pro. I am wondering if through this call could somene have hacked my system. One of the things that happened to my MacBook Pro is that I went to make a make a presentation and the system apparently deleted all my cookies and now I have to enter my UserID and Password to every site I normally use. Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Mar 8, 2014 11:37 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 8, 2014 12:26 PM in response to Roxanafromgu

did you google the number to see if you could find anything about the phone number?

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Answer 2

andyBall_uk

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Mar 8, 2014 12:42 PM in response to Roxanafromgu

There are some remote control applications where you might see a code on screen & that would be given to a trusted 3rd party so that they could see & use your computer over a network. However, the software would already need to be in place, and (obviously) they'd need to know your 'phone number.

If it seems as if that's what happened, erasing/reinstalling would be my suggestion, although of course, as shldr2thewheel suggests, researching the 'phone call would be a good thing to do.

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Answer 3

Roxanafromgu Author

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Mar 8, 2014 1:30 PM in response to shldr2thewheel

I looked it up and it is a non-existing number :-(

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Answer 4

Roxanafromgu Author

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Mar 8, 2014 1:44 PM in response to andyBall_uk

andyBall_uk ... when you say "...erasing/reinstalling..." what do you exactly refer to?

Save my documents and then reinstall the whole OS?

I have taken the following actions... would these help?

Enabled Mac's encyrtion and firewall

Installed LastPass to manage my passwords

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Answer 5

andyBall_uk

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Mar 8, 2014 1:52 PM in response to Roxanafromgu

>>...when you say "...erasing/reinstalling..." what do you exactly refer to? Save my documents and then reinstall the whole OS?...

Saving, erasing the disk, then installing a completely new system & importing/migrating only your documents & files, rather than any software. Changing all passwords etc too.

Which may sound extreme, but if something cropped up on your computer screen, with a number included, then someone called your 'phone & requested that number from the screen, and after giving it to them, it seemed as if they could control your computer... (what were the other strange things ?).

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