UK computer users warned of 'cold calling' scam

by Stevie Smith - Dec 15 2009, 09:59

Residents of the United Kingdom are being warned of a worrying threat from a ‘cold calling’ scam, which, when executed successfully, could result in a victim inadvertently handing over sensitive banking information.

Reported by respected consumer magazine Which? Computing, the scammers initiate phone calls with their targets, at which point they claim to be concerned representatives from either American software giant Microsoft or an Internet service provider (ISP).

According to Which?, the scam works much in the same way as a piece of Rogue Anti-virus software, insofar as the caller attempts to convince the target that their computer has been infected but can be fixed by following a few simple steps.

In order to achieve this ‘fix’ (and secure a win for the scammer), the unsuspecting victim is required to grant the caller remote access to their system and also provide personal credit card details in order shoulder a modest fee for the non-existent remote repair.

While the scam has not yet gathered significant momentum, and Which? has only received around 10 calls from various parts of the UK, the magazine has said its coverage on the scam is a preventative response.

Meanwhile, the UK’s official Trading Standards office has also apparently taken a number of calls regarding the bold scam.

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