Techie advice, please

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KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Techie advice, please

Post by KS10 »

My laptop had something wrong with it and was sent off to wherever on the 29th December. They have promised to return it at least 3 times and have arranged times, but it still hasn't been returned.

Yesterday, my email was hacked into and practically everyone on my contact list was sent a dodgy email (sorry to any of you who have been in contact with me for whatever reason!).

I have 2 questions:
- what is the best course of action?
- could there be a link between the non-appearance of my laptop and the dodgy
emails?
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by scarlett »

It does sound like a bit of a dodgy coincidence!! Was it sent miles away ? Can you go to wherever it is ? Was it someone reputable ?
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by marigold »

I was chatting to a group of women only a couple of weeks ago and four out of seven of us had had the dodgy email thing. I think it is a well known virus. One woman was distraught as she is a political campaigner and the sleazy email had gone to people like David Cameron, Jack Straw and the Lord Lieutenant. Another's husband's computer had sent them to all his work contacts, this is despite having very good virus checkers and firewalls.
I have a mac so never have had this problem but I am sure it is only a matter of time.
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by doodles »

Think there are a lot of dodgy things going around at the moment but I would go and collect your computer as soon as possible.

I had a call yesterday from a "technical support" unit telling me they could see I had a problem with my computer and how it was running and they could help me put it right over the phone. I knew it was rubbish as we only have two laptops, both of which were out of charge and switched off, and weren't running at that time. Try as I might I couldn't get him off the line, I put the phone down, picked up to make another call and he was still there and wouldn't get off the line so I just screamed down the line (DS's thought this was hilarious) and screamed and screamed - it worked..... he got off my line and there is nothing wrong with either laptop.

My elderly neighbour had exactly the same call but told them she didn't have a computer and they put the phone down on her.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by Sally-Anne »

doodles wrote:I had a call yesterday from a "technical support" unit telling me they could see I had a problem with my computer and how it was running and they could help me put it right over the phone.
This scam was circulated by email by the local Police force early warning system recently.

The next step after you agree to let them help is that they ask for your credit card details.
Guess what happens next ...?
doodles
Posts: 8300
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by doodles »

They are very persistent but really don't like being screamed at :lol: :lol: :lol:
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by KS10 »

Thanks. It seems to be very common but different people say different things. I've had this stuff in the past, but never before has my entire contact list been hijacked. I've been told it's about v****a (phew - from some of the reactions I thought it was going to be much worse!). Wonder what DD's head teacher thought when he received it ...

My brother says it's unavoidable, so I'm feeling a little less guilty. Can you believe that some of my friends asked me what I was playing at!

Must make sure I don't fall for the phone scam.
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by Sally-Anne »

KS10 wrote:Thanks. It seems to be very common but different people say different things. I've had this stuff in the past, but never before has my entire contact list been hijacked. I've been told it's about v****a (phew - from some of the reactions I thought it was going to be much worse!). Wonder what DD's head teacher thought when he received it ...

My brother says it's unavoidable, so I'm feeling a little less guilty. Can you believe that some of my friends asked me what I was playing at!
Free email accounts are particularly vulnerable to this sort of hijacking. Hotmail is infamous for it, and I would say that I receive at least 2 or 3 emails a month from someone whose hotmail account has been hacked. I have almost given up telling the supposed "senders": "Hi, did you know that your Hotmail acount has been hacked and your entire address book has now received this spam/vile message?"

One recent variation on the V_iagra rubbish has been emails that say X has posted some holiday snaps for you to look at. In all innocence the recipients click on the link and find that they have linked to yet another V_iagra site.

If you have a free email address, changing your password very regularly helps, as does writing passwords down manually, rather than keeping a list of them stored on your computer.
KS10
Posts: 2516
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 am

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by KS10 »

It's true, you certainly forget the basics. OH mentioned frequently changing the password yesterday ... a little too late!
mike1880
Posts: 2563
Joined: Sat Sep 27, 2008 10:51 pm

Re: Techie advice, please

Post by mike1880 »

doodles wrote:I had a call yesterday from a "technical support" unit telling me they could see I had a problem with my computer and how it was running and they could help me put it right over the phone. I knew it was rubbish as we only have two laptops, both of which were out of charge and switched off, and weren't running at that time. Try as I might I couldn't get him off the line, I put the phone down, picked up to make another call and he was still there and wouldn't get off the line so I just screamed down the line (DS's thought this was hilarious) and screamed and screamed - it worked..... he got off my line and there is nothing wrong with either laptop.
We're getting loads of these calls at the moment. Rather than losing our temper with them or putting the phone down, we now try to keep them talking as long as possible. Mrs 1880 interrogates them about the name and ownership of the company they work for, location of office, etc., while I tend to interrogate them about technicalities ("You've detected a virus on my computer? Really? Then you know the IP address of my computer? Hello? Hello?"). Today it was a "David Jones", given the accent it seemed likely to be a very unusual name wherever he was and I was about to start on that tack but I didn't get any further than "Sorry, what did you say your name was?" before he put the phone down...

This approach has the advantage of both entertainment value and keeping them off someone else's back for a few precious minutes. My stepfather, aged 86, has just bought his first laptop and got himself on the internet, I dread to think what would happen if he got a call like this. :evil:

Mike
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