October 2016 Newsletter – Remote Access
Published on October 1, 2016
Software that allows a person's computer desktop environment to be viewed.
Remote access refers to software that allows a person's computer desktop environment to be viewed and controlled remotely on another computer. This technology has helped IT personnel in many ways as it has made it possible to fix many client problems without even being in the building! This has resulted in faster response times, lower costs and happy clients ... but remote access can be dangerous if not used by the right people. With computer and phone scams on the rise, it's important to keep yourself safe and inform yourself. One example of a remote access scam is where the scammer will phone you and pretend to be a staff member from a large computer company, such as Microsoft. They will tell you that your computer has been sending error messages or that it has a virus. They may mention problems with your internet connection or your phone line and say this has affected your computer's recent performance. The caller will request remote access to your computer to ‘find out what the problem is’. DON'T LET THEM IN. There have been an estimated 4,000 scams reported with more than $850,000 lost. So it's important to know the warning signs:- You receive a phone call out of the blue and the caller claims to be from a large telecommunications or computer company, or a technical support service provider.
- They tell you that your computer is experiencing technical problems and they need remote access to sort out the problem.
- You're asked to buy software and sign up for a service to fix the computer.
- They ask for your personal details and your bank or credit card details.
- The caller is very persistent and may become abusive.