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Identity theft is when someone gains access to your personal details and actually takes your identity. Being a victim of identity theft can lead to many future complications for the person it has happened to. Maybe a better term would be identity fraud as it is not really possible to steal someones actual identity.

Watch Out For Fake Microsoft Windows Service Phone Calls

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Over the last few months there have been thousands of phone calls placed by people claiming to be technicians for Microsoft Windows.

These people are cyber criminals that have only one intention, and that is to get access to your computer and in some cases your credit card details.

Make sure you share this security warning in all you social circles and with as many people as possible… This will help others avoid this scam and hopefully shut it down fast.

I know some elderly people who have actually been caught by this and in both cases before they finished the process of what the caller wanted they phoned me.

I promptly told them to disconnect from the internet and end the call straight away.

These cyber criminals will advise you that your computer has been identified as transmitting errors to the Microsoft Windows service centre or that your computer has been hacked or has a virus and that they can show you how to fix the problem.

This Is A “Fake Call” please do not follow their instructions or you just might be giving them access to your computer files without knowing it. I have even heard that in some cases they are getting some computer users to give them credit card details, again this is not real so please do not give out any personal details to anyone claiming to be from Microsoft.

What they want you to do and they actually scare you into taking action without thinking especially if you do not know any better is to go to your computer and turn it on then you will be issued with a set of instructions on how to identify the problem. We have tested the instructions given on a number of computers and you always see the same error messages.

Cyber Criminals Are Evolving Fast So You Need To As Well

This was once done via email where you would be sent an email stating that your Microsoft Windows system had been hacked and that you needed to follow the link in the email to repair the problem. This was no more than a phishing attack trying to get access to your computer and personal details.

This latest attempt via phone calls is no different and you need to be aware of this and DO NOT under any circumstance act on the information they are providing you.

We have had two of these calls over the last 24 hours with the first one stating that we had a virus on our computer which was identified by a Microsoft Windows technician and that they are calling to solve the problem for us (HA HA they should have checked who they were calling first) and all I had to do was start my computer and they would show me what to do to fix the problem.

The other call was also the same but this time they were telling me that the computer had been hacked and that my data was being transmitted to a third party and that I needed to log in straight away so that they could stop this.

The only time you may receive a call from Microsoft is if you have submitted a Support Ticket at their actual website which will generate a support ID which needs to be quoted by the caller if they do need to call you back. It is not common place for any companies including Microsoft to send emails or make phone calls requesting information like this.

Steps To Take To Ensure You Don’t Get Fooled

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  • Make sure the caller knows who you are, not by you telling them but by you asking them what your full name is.
  • If you have never called Microsoft then you will never receive a call back from Microsoft.
  • If you have an issue with Microsoft Windows and have entered a support request at their website then make sure you know the Support ID and get the caller to quote it.

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If you have not done any of the above or the caller can not answer your questions then it’s a good chance your are talking to someone who is trying to steal information from you.

What To Do If You Have Been A Victim Of This Fraud

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  • For anyone that has been tricked and given their credit card details contact your bank immediately and tell them what has happened.
  • If you have have given out any usernames or passwords change them as soon as you can.
  • If you have had any of the above happen you should also consider contacting your local police and reporting this fraud to them.

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If you have been a victim or even received a call like this from any business please let us know, simply post your comments below.

Identity Theft Using Spyware

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Spyware is certainly one of the biggest threats to internet users today, especially in regards to identity theft.

It’s a type of malicious software that can run undetected on a computer and just as the name implies, spy on the user. For the most part, spyware isn’t designed to do harm to the computer, at least nothing obvious, and so it can run undetected for quite a long time.

There are a lot of things people hope to gain out of using spyware.

Some just want to cause trouble but most have criminal intent of some kind. Lately, a huge issue that has been on the rise is identity theft as a result of these malicious applications.

Perhaps the worst thing about it is that the most skilled computer users can easily let spyware slip by them, and the most unskilled computer user can be the one who put it there.

Here are the three key ways in which identity theft can happen as a result of spyware:

Spyware Can Redirect Your Web Browser To Phishing Sites

Some spyware programs that run in the background of a computer system actually function by redirecting the browsing habits of a web user.

For example, imagine you were using your web browser to go to a favorite website.

The redirect software will recognize where you are trying to go and then send you a totally different site that someone has made to mimic the one you wanted. Of course, once on the mimic site any data that you enter can be retrieved by the people operating it.

The dangers there should be obvious. A criminal or a crime organization wanting to capitalize the most out of this type of malicious software would create cloned copies of popular banking sites.

Then, should you have their spyware on your computer and visit one of the banking sites they are mimicking, they will be able to record your card numbers and passwords, as well as other personal information that may be accessible through your bank.

Spyware Can Track Every Action On Your Keyboard

Again, this type of spyware does just what its name says it does. It creates logs of virtually every key you press. That means whether you’re typing a letter, selecting a font or responding to an IM, the information can all be reconstructed with ease. Naturally things would be the same for passwords and username.

The fact that passwords appear on the screen in disguise (ie: the letters don’t usually appear for passwords) won’t hinder this from happening because this software gets its info straight from the keys.

To commit identity theft this way is incredibly simple. When an effected computer user types in banking information, even when not on a banking site, the data will be covertly sent back to the criminal source where they can use it to their benefit.

Spyware Can Control Your Computer Remotely

This software allows for others to control your computer from any place on the planet. They can then do virtually anything they want including stealing personal information. To make this easier for them, they can use the remote access spyware to change browser settings that can result in lowered computer security.

It could also allow them to install key-logging software on your system and have you unknowingly distribute it to others, which another way that spyware spreads across the internet.

More Articles To Help You Eliminate Spyware From Your Computer

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If you have a moment we would really like to hear about any issues you have had with spyware or even any attempts at identity theft you are aware of, you can do this by simply posting your comments below!

Online Identity Theft, Don’t Be A Victim

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Have you actually ever considered the impact of online identity theft, or even the impact this malicious act has had on the internet?

Those reading this post probably don’t ever remember when the only way you could talk to someone that was in a different town or country was to use a postal service through mail or telegram. And for a lucky few they could pick up the newly invented telephone.

However times have now changed and with the invention of the internet and the many social networks and blogs online communication is easier than ever before. With this has come a danger that no one is safe from and that is online identity theft.

Online Identity Theft Is Now A Major Crime

As the internet grows and more and more business use the power of internet promotion and even everyday people conduct transactions through purchasing  products interacting with friends and even online banking so does the threat of online identity theft.

Many have become complacent on the internet and truly believe that the internet is their friend and can enter any data they like without any consequence for their actions…

This is a huge mistake to make and you could end up with your identity being stolen.

Online Identity Theft Is About Deception

You need to understand something right from the start and that is no matter what information you are sending out or downloading onto your computer your are placing your identity at risk. Online identity thieves will spare no expense in trying to get details from the unwary web surfer.

Identity thieves use tactics such as creating fake websites which in effect mirror a website you have frequented so have no cause for concern as it looks identical to the website you have always visited and trust.

But what you don’t realize is any information you enter into this website is going to be used for one purpose, to steal your identity. Another way this can be done is through fake emails asking you to enter your personal details such as passwords or through the downloading of software that can applications that are designed to extract your personal information from your computer.

So How Do You Stop Online Identity Theft

Firstly you need to be aware that it actually exists and stop being complacent online, secondly you can install software such as an Internet Security Suite which will help you manage  the process. Or for those that want the most protection possible then maybe a dedicated application such as Webroot Internet Security Suite would be a good fit for your needs.

We have spoken to many people about this and most believe that it is never going to happen to them, that’s of course right up until it does. You need to understand right now that this can damage you life, it has been responsible for marriage break-ups, bankruptcy and much more.

Your identity once stolen can then also be used  to commit another crime which now places you square in the eyes of the law and all the problems that can cause you.

If you think you are safe then think about this guy who had his Facebook account hacked where the hackers encouraged one of his friends to send money via Western Union the end result was his friend lost money simply because he thought it was his trusted friend making the request. Where in actual fact this guy had his Facebook identity stolen.

Don’t be a victim to online identity theft take precautions by using application like Webroot Internet Security Suite.