Turn off Remote Access

As a follow up to recent posts about phone scammers, here is a proactive way to protect yourself. 

If the scammers can’t get on to your pc in the first place then they can’t do the damage. It is highly unlikely that anyone legitimate will ask for remote access.

So for Windows 10 in the bottom left search box 

type “Remote Assistance” by the time you get to the A, it will be showing “Allow Remote Access to your computer”  It is important to get as far as the A, because it shows Remote Desktop and that is not what you are after.

Select the Remote Assistance option.

This shows the System Properties Window from a Windows 10 Home system

This shows the System Properties from a Windows 10 Pro system

Uncheck the tick box beside "Allow Remote Assistance Connections to this computer" and click Apply at the bottom of the windown and you are Done.

Again, tell your Nan or better yet do it for her.

Show your Mum and Dad and share it with everyone you know.

The remote access option is turned on by default in a new windows installation and that is what is making it easy for these scammers to carry out this despicable fraud that targets anyone. Let's at least try to make it harder for this scum to succeed.

The more people I speak to about this, the more I find have been caught out in some way. They dont care who you are, just what they can get out of you. 

Your Router has been compromised - SCAM

I posted this on social media today, but thought it worth repeating. 

I posted about this very thing on 11th May. 

I know I bang on about it but I’m just not getting through.
Scammers calling on the Phone.

A Client called me recently and had been caught with the “Your Router has been compromised” scam. He was caught for a large sum, straight from his bank account. And is currently in contact with The Fraud Squad.

Please remember, BT, Talk Talk, Virgin Media, Microsoft, Sky and other providers

Will NEVER call you.

If you get a phone call from someone saying they are from your phone or broadband provider, even a recorded message saying something there is something wrong with your PC, router or any related equipment put the phone down and don’t engage with them.

If you have any concerns call the number on your providers “contact us” page or call an expert you do trust to help you.

Tell your friends, tell your Nan, tell your parents, tell your Avon lady and your dog sitter!
Don’t let these scummy scammers get away with this.

Please share this - no, not copy and paste in some kind of tricky "see more than 25 of you friends" way. 

That's all for today.  I'm rebuilding a laptop.