Phone Scammers Now Pose As Internet Service

Telephone scammers who call people at home and say that there are problems with the computer not only do more if Microsoft employees, they also pose as an employee of ISP and tell them that there are problems with the Internet connection.

These are for example a slow Internet connection that can be made ​​faster. To do victims have to download a program that telephone scammer can take control over the computer. Then there money stolen from bank accounts. This was reported by Financial Fraud Action UK. According to the organization there is an increase in the number of reported incidents of this scam.

During hear the phone call, victims that they are entitled to compensation. The scammer then asks if the victim wants to log into his bank account. However, the scammer still has access to the computer and displays a screen counterfeit bill making it look like the money is transferred. Is then transferred in the background money from the account.

In addition, the scammers ask for a transaction code, which would be needed to process the fee. In reality, this code is used to steal money from the account. To our knowledge does this scam occur only in Britain. The scam with the so-called Microsoft employees first began also in English-speaking countries, but later expanded to other countries.

Website Ammyy Admin Spread Infectious Download

The official website of the remote desktop software Ammyy Admin has recently been hacked and has offered several days a contaminated version allowing users by a group of cyber criminals were spied upon. Ammyy Admin makes it possible to record on remote computers.

According to the developers make more than 50 million people, both business and private use of the software. It is used by companies in the Fortune 500, as well as banks. Also telephone scammers use the software. Some detect anti-virus programs Ammyy Admin whatsoever as unwanted software. According to the Slovak anti-virus company ESET is the remote desktop software especially popular in Russia.

On October 26 ESET discovered that on the website malware was offered. The free version of Ammyy Admin was replaced with an infected version. Until November 2 the infected version was offered. The installer installed the real Ammyy Admin software, as well as a file called AmmyyService.exe or AmmyySvc.exe that contained the malware. Then analyzed the malware existing software and websites visited.

If the computer had sufficient value was additional malware being installed. This malware was signed with a certificate from Comodo, which has been withdrawn. The malware spies on users, records all keystrokes, enumerate smart cards and communicates with a command & control server. It is unclear when the site was hacked and how long exactly malware is offered. ESET tried the developers of Ammyy Admin several days and warn in different ways, but received no response.

Expert: Precautions LastPass Users After Purchase LogMeIn

Last Friday it was announced that the popular online password manager LastPass for an amount of $ 125 million was taken, but the new owner LogMeIn has caused some users worry. Reported that the Australian security expert Troy Hunt.

LogMeIn is a company that offers software that allows remote access to computers can be obtained. The company's image is not flawless. So let LogMeIn in 2011 that LogMeIn would always be free. Last year, however, the company announced the end of LogMeIn Free on. Another point is that the LogMeIn software is often used by telephone scammers posing as Microsoft employees. In early 2012 Hunt attention to the issue. "Unfortunately, three years later LogMeIn continues to be the preferred software of these crooks," he tells.

According to Hunt many people are also concerned about the direction that LastPass for the acquisition will go up. "Even though they say that the password manager remains independent and is not influenced, they now fall within a broader business vision and LogMeIn will influence the direction of LastPass," said security expert. He therefore anxious for LastPass users a roadmap put online that explains how simple of LastPass can be switched to 1Password, another popular password manager.

Microsoft Received 175 000 Complaints About Telephone Scammers

Since May last year, Microsoft has more than 175,000 complaints received telephone scammers. It is in this case to telephone scammers posing as Microsoft employees. The scammers call people and say that there are problems with the computer, such as a malware infection.

It then attempts to get the victim to install a program that allows the scammer can take over your computer. Ultimately have to pay the victim for the correction of non-existent problems, which can amount to hundreds of euros. According to Microsoft this year will be an estimated 3.3 million people in the United States more than $ 1.5 billion to pay scammers. It is not clear whether this just about telephone scammers. In order for people to warn the scam Microsoft is working now with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). There is an information leaflet developed (pdf) and workshops are organized.

Google AdWords For Blue Screen Of Death Scam

Criminals have used Google Adwords to lure users to pages that called a Blue Screen of Death show (BSOD). For resolving the problem should then phone calls. Eventually adjust the telephone scammers that they can fix it for an amount between 199 and 599 dollars, let anti-malware company Malwarebytes know.

To get people to the pages used to lure the BSOD be AdWords, the largest online advertising service from Google. When users via the Google search engine for the term "youtube" searching pull them alongside the search results to see two ads above the results. It seems here that the ads point to YouTube, but loaded into reality the BSOD page. After being informed, Google removed the ads. According to analyst Jerome Segura is consciousness but the best protection against these scams.