HOW THE SCAM WORKS
Someone claiming to be a support technician with Microsoft (or another tech company) will call your office or even your personal phone to let you know that your computer has “registered a problem” and they can help you fix it.

They will then attempt to persuade you to download software that will allow them to gain remote access to your computer or direct you to fraudulent sites with the promise of “fixing your computer.” While there are legitimate remote help sites used by honest technicians, installing such applications at the request of a stranger claiming to be a technical support technician can result in your computer being compromised.

Many times they will try to get you to provide them with usernames, passwords, credit card numbers or other personal information. They may even request card information so they can “bill” you for their phony services. Some scammers can be quite convincing and seem very knowledgeable about your business.

THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD KNOW
While many companies including Microsoft and Les Olson Company do offer technical support services – they will NEVER make unsolicited phone calls to ask for money in exchange for computer security or software fixes.

SO YOU SUSPECT YOU’RE TALKING TO A SCAMMER, WHAT NOW?
If you believe that you’re speaking with a scam artist, the best advice is to hang up. While it is best not to engage at all with the scammer, if you find yourself talking with them for any length of time DO NOT give them any information or agree to pay for any software or services. If possible, take down their name and phone number and submit a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission. Complaints help them detect patterns of fraud and abuse. If you receive one of these calls at your office, be sure to let your network administrator know.

Scammers can be very persistent. People have been known to give in to their requests out of sheer exhaustion. No matter how many times they call, they never comply with their instructions.

WHAT IF YOU ALREADY GAVE THEM INFORMATION?
If you think you may have already given a scammer access to your computer or information, it’s important to change your computer’s password, the password to your email account and especially passwords for your financial accounts such as your bank or credit card company. If you think they may have gained access to a work computer, let your network administrator know immediately so they can quickly address the breach. Don’t let embarrassment keep you from telling someone as quickly as possible.

YOUR BEST LINE OF DEFENSE
Your best line of defense is keeping all computer users, whether at home or in your business, informed about this scam. Make sure they know how to recognize this scam and what to do in the event of a fishy phone call.[/cz_title]

Hackers have been exploiting this particular vulnerability, taking advantage of those who have not yet upgraded to the latest version of Internet Explorer. Considering the ease of fixing this issue, it’s most certainly not worth the risk – especially for businesses.

Not sure which version you use? Simply open your browser, in the upper right-hand corner of the browser, click the Settings Symbol. Next click About Internet Explorer. This will open a window, which will tell you the version of the browser is installed on your computer. If you have Internet Explorer 8, 9 or 10, you will need to install one of the newer versions – Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge if you have the Windows 10 OS.

LES OLSON COMPANY MANAGED IT CLIENTS

Our IT experts have already made the appropriate updates to Internet Explorer installations for all Les Olson Company customers who are enrolled in our Managed IT Services program.

Learn more about how Les Olson Company can provide proactive management, monitoring and maintenance of your business’ computers and servers through our Managed IT Services program.[/cz_title]