Protect Yourself and your PC

A couple weeks ago I received a phone call from my mother-in-law who had just got off a call with someone claiming to work for the "Software Computer Security Department" who told her that her computer was infected with a virus and was causing problems on the internet. The caller told her that they would help her to clean her computer. Knowing that I like to be involved in all of her computer problems, she asked the rep for his name and number so that she could have me call him to solve this virus problem. The caller would not provide any contact information and insisted that he could quickly fix the problem remotely without getting anyone else involved. Smartly my mother-in-law told him to call back later; she then hung up and called me immediately.

As Nucleus has always taken care of her computer, I was extremely confident that she did not have a virus nor was her computer causing problems as the caller had led her to believe. Upon further investigation it appears as though this call is a new type of phone / internet scam. If the scammer convinces his target that he will help fix a fake computer problem, he would have the ability to do a number of dastardly things as well as charge you money to "fix" the problem. They could also convince the target to give them remote access to their PC. Once they have remote control of a PC, the scammer can now syphon off valuable identity information as well as install Trojan software and other nasty malware which will take control of the PC and makes the PC a slave in the scammer’s network. It angers me to imagine what they are doing with the computers and information they have scammed from trusting people.

It is important for everyone to be suspicious and analyse any correspondence they receive (phone call, email, letters etc.) before they open up their computers, wallets, and personal information. If there is ever any doubt, ask lots of questions, gather contact information and offer to call back. Cross reference contact information against other sources such as websites or phonebooks and contact people you know and trust.

While remote software is a very useful tool, it can also be used for malicious purposes so it is very important that you trust whoever is asking you to allow them access to your PC. For example, in certain instances, Nucleus technicians use remote control software to assist in troubleshooting technical problems. This helps to speed up the troubleshooting process and also avoids having the customer either bring the PC to the Nucleus office or having Nucleus dispatch a technician for an onsite visit. Whatever the case may be, if you allow someone to remotely access your computer, Nucleus recommends that you pay attention to what they are doing to ensure they are not accessing your personal information or installing potentially malicious code.

In addition to providing technical support for our Internet services, Nucleus also provides general technical support for hire to help customers solve other technical problems like setting up a new PC, tune up an old PC, setup a new wireless router, back up or restore data, and coincidentally we also remove viruses. We have two rates; $50/hour in house or $115/hour on site at your location.

Just like your vehicle, your computer should have regular maintenance to ensure that it is running healthy. This will ensure fast and efficient performance and give you piece of mind. To help ensure your machine is secure, Nucleus is offering a PC Scan & Update promotion. For a flat rate of $99.95, you can bring your PC into our office and our technicians will perform a number of malware scans and also update your Windows or MacOS operating systems to help ensure that your PC is safe and clean. Next time a scammer calls you about a computer problem, you can let him know that your computer is serviced by Nucleus and decline their attempts to "help" you.