Scam Recovery
Restore your access and check your safety
Fraud is now the most commonly experienced crime in the UK, accounting for around 40% of offences. A significant proportion of this relates to scams relating to your computer.
A common issue we’ve come across is where a customer has given somebody they didn’t know remote access to their computer. This is a big problem nowadays, with criminals targeting the vulnerable and elderly by impersonating official organisations such as banks, Internet Service Providers, Microsoft and big retailers such as Amazon.
If someone contacts you unexpectedly claiming to be from any of these organizations and offers to help by accessing your computer, do not trust them—they are trying to scam you. None of these organisations will make unsolicited contact with you and ask for access to your computer.
The same applies to unexpected screens on your computer claiming that you have a virus or infection, prompting you to call the number on the screen or make a payment. A typical example of this is a fake screen that claims to be a message from Microsoft or an antivirus company.
It goes without saying that under no circumstances should you make any payments requested by the caller or provide any personal details.
If you’ve unfortunately fallen victim to this type of scam, the best course of action is to remain calm and avoid panicking. These scammers employ fear tactics to create a sense of urgency—they don’t want you to have the time to contact a company like us, because we will advise you to stop communication and turn off your computer.
Ending the communication and switching the computer may be enough to resolve the situation in some cases, but it is usually worth checking your security afterwards. Sometimes though, the scammer will have restricted access to your computer.
If you need assistance regaining access to your computer or want to ensure it’s safe, please contact us to arrange a call-out.
