Phone phishing attacks on the increase

The problem of fraudsters trying to con people over the phone is taking a new twist.

Over the past couple of months there have been a growing number of reports from people who have received unsolicited scam phone calls from companies telling them that their PC has been infected with malicious software.

The victim is asked to switch on their PC and usually asked to go to a website where the caller says they can then remotely access the PC to fix the problem. Sometimes people are also asked to pay for and download some software that will 'solve' the issue.

To give themselves legitimacy, the callers often claim to be working for Microsoft, an internet service provider, software manufacturer or security software developer. Worryingly, the callers often already have a lot of information about their victim including their name where they bought their PC and how old it is.

However, the fraudsters try to get more details from their victims including bank and credit or debit card details.

Computeractive reader David Moore said his neighbour received one of these calls but because he was unable to understand what he was being asked, told the caller to ring back another time. Mr Moore was on hand when the second call came.

“A man with a strong Indian accent asked me to switch on my neighbour’s PC and open various files – all of which are legitimate and there is nothing wrong with them. However, he said they were warning files and he could fix the problem.

"He gave me a web address but I realised the website would allow him to gain remote access to the PC. It needed an access code which he said he would sell me for £70,” Mr Moore explained.

It is not known how many gangs are behind these phone phishing attacks but when we contacted Microsoft it said it was aware of the problem.

“These scams are not new. We would like to remind users of Microsoft software that the company does not keep track of consumers that purchase their software and does not directly contact consumers for any reason whatsoever. Do not to trust any caller claiming to be from Microsoft and needing access to your home PC,” the company told us.

Con Mallon, Symantec's product marketing director, also told Computeractive that although the scam has been around a longtime, recent reports suggest it is on the rise, suggesting the fraudsters are specifically targeting some individuals.

"Consumers should be aware that no reputable internet security company will make unsolicited direct calls to investigate a problem on a PC.

If the fraudsters are targeting individuals, such as Mr Moore's neighbour, it begs the question where are they getting their information about their victims from.

Computeractive asked the Office of Fair Trading scambusters team to see if they were aware of this growing threat. We were told that they had received no complaints about this problem so far. However, it urged people who receive the calls not to give out any information.

If you receive one of these calls, do not panic. This is now a global scam affecting computer users in many countries. Remember, there is no way that this caller can know if your PC has been infected with malicious software. Companies such as Microsoft never contact people about this. If the caller claims to be customer service or technical help from your ISP, hang up and call your provider.

Never give the caller any information, pay for a service, or allow them to remotely access your PC. If you are worried that you may have malicious software on your computer ensure you security software is up to date and you have downloaded all Microsoft’s security patches and those of applications, such as Adobe that you are running.

If you feel that you do have a problem on your PC, navigate direct to a reputable company's free computer scan, such as the one provided by Norton.

People who receive one of these phone calls should try to get as much detail as possible from the caller; including a phone number from where the person is calling if it is not blocked and the web address they are asked to visit and report it to Consumer Direct’s Scamnesty scheme.