Remote Repair Schemes

I know I’ve mentioned my IT project, and today I’d like to go into a little detail about one person I’ve helped recently. I’d also like to add that I’m just waiting to hear back from the Secretary of State and then I can keep moving forward on getting the “non-profit” status that I’m aiming for with the project. Anyways, onto story time!

I think we’ve all gotten these calls at one point or another, “Hi, I’m a certified Microsoft Technician. You’re computer is reporting viruses…” Maybe they’re less common now than they were around the 2010’s, but I have to imagine that they still happen. For those of us who grew up using and interacting with technology, we know that it’s a scam. Unfortunately, we’re not the target audience. These people target those that aren’t familiar with technology, and then they use that knowledge against those they talk into getting “help”. Their standard operation is to have you download some software which allows remote control of your device, and from there they do a lot of things to make it look like they’re doing a lot. Meanwhile, they might install a few useful applications such as junkware removal applications or (ironically) spyware removal software. Secretly in the background they may actually install a RAT, a Remote Access Trojan, which will allow them to connect without using the original software. The original software is very vocal about who is connected and lets you see what they’re doing, but RATs are much like the creatures of the same name sneaky and quiet. You don’t know when someone is watching let alone who, and they can often keep track of any and all activity on that computer. There doesn’t even need to be someone actively monitoring you, the RAT software will keep a log of everything and check in with these people every so often.

So the first time you allow these kinds of people remote access to your device, they’ll do a little tidying up. Your computer might run a little smoother for a couple of weeks, maybe they remove some software that was really slowing your computer down… by the way, that’ll cost you somewhere in range of $200-$400. But remember, they installed that RAT, so maybe a few weeks or months later they use it to quietly go in and make some changes that slow your computer down maybe throw up a few errors. Maybe they also installed something that occasionally reminds you that you can call them at some number if your computer starts acting up. So you call them when you finally notice it’s running slower or are tired of the errors popping up (which they very well may have actually caused, only secretly), they’re very friendly over the phone and use the original remote software to go in and undo all the changes and tune your computer again. You’re grateful, but now they know they’ve got you so they “charge” closer to $500-$750 this time. And often this cycle will continue, with them slowly ramping up their price until it would literally be cheaper to buy a brand new computer (talking in the $1000+ range here).

It’s when you can’t or won’t pay anymore that things can openly turn sour. Maybe they’re fine with you not paying, maybe they’ve got a lot of other people in their scam and can afford to quit worrying about you. Maybe you actually have quite a bit of money (and they know it because that RAT has given them access to or screenshots of your banking accounts) and they want to push it far enough that you will continue to give them money. If you happen to be in the latter, they’ll start throwing more and more your way until your computer is running at a crawl or freezing for hours on end. They want to keep squeezing your for more money, especially when they know you have more they can take. It’s not just bank accounts that they can access though, maybe it’s your email and all of your contacts, maybe it’s your health records, maybe it’s those family photos and memories? If it’s on your computer or accessed from your computer, they can probably see it. And although I’ve not yet heard anyone I help tell me about these people using all that information against them, I figure it’s only a numbers game. I imagine I will eventually come across a case like that; someone being pressured into giving them money but their friends and family are starting to be pressured, too. It’s almost like your Miranda rights, “Anything you say can and will be used against you…”, except it’s not just what you say it’s what you use and have on the computer that could be used against you and those close to you to get what they want.

I guess the moral of the story is if someone calls you from a corporation or from the government, tell them you’d like to call them back at the official number listed for them. They’ll likely try to give you a number, but take it with a grain of salt. Use some resources to find the appropriate number, but remember it’s incredibly unlikely that ANY of them would actually call you in the first place. Be especially wary if there’s a sense of urgency; you have to act now or else! They’re trying to play on your worries and fears. Beyond all of that, please find a local repair shop (or even one of the big name places if there’s no little shops) that you can trust and feel free to ask them about these kinds of things. Any IT person worth their salt should be able to answer some questions about these kinds of calls, often times we’ve gotten them too.

That’s enough doom and gloom for today, but it’s one of the reasons I think it’s a good idea to at least respect your own privacy and consider how your privacy protects those close to you. Technology has evolved so rapidly that sometimes it’s really difficult to wrap our heads around just how impactful it has been and continues to be upon all our lives. That and how important it is to have someone local that you trust to actually answer questions, repair, and maintain these complicated devices.

Be good to those around you.