Ida Clare Scams are in the Air

I wish I could write about Spring but Scam is in the air.

I have been enjoying this lovely spring day until I received a panicked phone call from IdaMama telling me that I needed to talk to this lady from Microsoft who has thoughtfully phoned her to tell her that IdaMama’s computer is infected and needs help.

This unsolicited help from Microsoft comes at a cost of $150.00 or all her afflicted computers are going to melt into a big heap of Ebloa.

Yes and the crops will fail and all her unborn children will be little green aliens. 

Aside from stalking Facebook, doing computer jigsaw puzzles and playing Pet Rescue, IdaMama wouldn’t know a computer virus if it shook hands with her and introduced itself.  Now that I think about it that is exactly what the phone call was: an introduction to a human scumbag virus that preys on its victims through lies, fear and intimidation.  And I am angry that they tried it on my sweet Mom and wasted a moment of her time when she could be out enjoying this lovely spring day.

We were lucky.  IdaMama called me and I told her that I had received this phone call in the past and that it is a scam.  Here are some tips:

• Microsoft will not phone you up to tell you anything.  These guys are busy doing actual real tech support. If you have ever been put on hold to get some real help then you know what I mean.
• Never give out important information over the phone to someone who has called you.  If someone asks for information or credit card numbers, ask them for theirs and see how far you get.  Or just hang up.
• http://www.maravis.com/have-you-fallen-for-the-microsoft-support-phone-scam/ is an article that can help if you have been scammed.

And if you have been victimized, don’t beat yourself up.  Just take action to prevent further damage. 

• Get to a trusted friend’s computer and change your passwords.
• If you have given them your credit card, call the company and cancel the account.
• Notify your friends on social media that you may have been scammed and not to accept any bogus offers from you.  Now it not the time for them to bail you out of jail while you are on a trip to Borneo.