INFO ON SCAMS
PC Solutions for you.
Digital devices are great fun, allow us access to things that often used to take weeks to find out, and have simplified many things in day-to-day life. With that, they can also make us feel somewhat restrained. For example, the need to apply for medication online. Digital devices have also opened new doors to those wishing to extract what they can from us - such as scammers.
To this end, vigilance is needed. Scammers conspire to trick us in many unsuspecting ways.
Some purport to be:
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from our bank - they will often avoid saying specifically which bank! Think carefully: when did your bank legitimately call you? In the UK, simply dial the trusted 159 where you will be taken to a switchboard. From here you can check the call you have received is actually legitimate, or not. You can then block the troublesome number on many phones.
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from the UK Government - claiming you have a Visa, passport or tax issue. Hang up and block the number.
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from BT or your mobile provider - why would they call you? Think, hang up and block the number.
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from Microsoft - Microsoft do not call customers. You probably do not have any viruses or other unsavoury data-stealing programs on your device. Do NOT call any number you may see on your screen purporting to be from Microsoft - even if the warning looks scary. It has been designed to make you uncomfortable so that you seek help by calling the number on the screen.
Give me a call on 07434 520104 if you would like me to support you with anything here.
A scammer may email, text or call you - all promising to offer something (usually support) or state a problem you didn’t even know existed! If you receive a call from them, the only button you should press is the cancel/hang up button and delete any suspicious messages. Please DO NOT open suspicious emails. A simple opening of it could trigger acceptance to the sender! Certainly, do not click on a link within an email either as it may direct the user to a fake website where data is harvested or viruses planted on your device.
Legitimate businesses will not call you to offer support.
You may find this non-affiliated website with scammer details useful:
https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/how-to-spot-a-scam
This information is in no way intended to cause you to be anxious; it is simply to advise.