These days, computer hackers are craftier than ever. A recent report from ABC News revealed that there is a new scam that has become popular. What is even scarier is that it could rob you of personal information. According to the news outlet, here’s how you may be approached be con artists: A crook calls you on the phone and pretends that he or she is a technician from a large corporation and tells you that he’s found a virus on your computer. He then may ask for your permission to give him access to his computer so he can “assist” you in removing the spyware. 

If you grant the caller access, he may:

• Change the settings on your computer
• Charge your credit card for a worthless virus-removal program
• Install malware that could provide him with access to your credit cards and even Social Security number. 

In the event that you’ve been the victim of this scam, the Federal Trade Commission recommends that you:

• Call your credit card company if the hacker has charged you for any phony services and ask that these charges be reversed
• Change the passwords of any account you may have given the caller access to
• Order a free credit report, which is available by going to www.annualcreditreport.com, and browse the document for suspicious activity
• Use legitimate security programs and run a scan to assess whether there is malware on your device.

You may also want to consider bringing your computer to a reputable computer repair company like Geeks On-Site. We specialize in services such as virus detection and can remove any spyware the hacker may have uploaded. After all, we want to make sure your device works so you can put it to good use!