Computer locked with a microsoft number to call to repair. As need computer had no option but call ,as it would let me log off.
Called the number and they convinced me the could sort problem and was given a price to do so, which studidly i agreed to as it was a sunday,but another £135 was added as said it would take up to 4 hours but only took him 30 mins, total rip off .
First up, be warned that despite multiple post-grad degrees, upon reading this, you will think I am the stupidest person in the world.
The plot began with a pop-up screen appearing on my home-based work PC while using Facebook. The pop-up looks like a legitimate one from Microsoft, requesting I contact them immediately or my Windows account would be closed and my ISP would be stolen (oh, the irony). So I called, and then the saga began.
I got through to "Microsoft" who then transferred me to the "technicians". They are extremely smooth talkers, carefully explaining that my ISP had been hacked, so my anti-virus software couldn't pick it up. They wanted to show me how it was getting into my system so requested remote access. Stupidly, I acquiesced.
They showed how various ISPs from elsewhere were now in my system and other damaged files while talking me through it all on the phone at the same time. They explained I'd have to get it fixed and googled across to a Microsoft site outlining the standard US$499 fee required for a single incident (Interestingly this site still comes up in Google Search, but can now no longer be accessed - gets 404 error message). I explained that I'd like to look elsewhere, but they said it's a standard fee. So I agreed.
Then they proceeded to explain that this is a one off fix, and I may be hacked anytime again, so they offered me three packages to future proof my system. I chose the most expensive one (US$1458.99) because it covered me for 3 years with very low renewal fees following that ($29/year).
They then remoted my agreement including creating a digital signature through rightsignature.com/. They had full control of my computer at this stage and were moving very quickly. They arranged the signing of my agreement and the payment went through.
Immediately after this, I suspected something fishy (about time my brain started to work), and I tried to back out of the $1498.99 future proofing but I was still duped into the $499 one-off-fix. They assured me I could do this, but to wait a few days to see if I was satisfied with the new software first. I tried to push back, but in the end I relented. Besides, at this stage the payment had gone through.
They then proceeded to 'fix' my computer. They installed three apps (just lousy adblockers). Again, it was all happening very quickly and they were talking me through it all very technically at the same time. They then did some system clean-up, which looked quite fancy, but I now realise it was just a ploy and if I wanted to do something similar I could have done so myself.
THEN - this is how stupid I really am. Because it was an ISP attack, I suggested they remote into my other PC, my personal one. Interestingly, they weren't very keen to do this, but I explained that because it was an ISP attack, wouldn't all my machines need to be fixed? So I turned it on, and he remoted into it, and installed the same garbage and did the clean-up and god only knows what else.
It ended with him opening my email account and directing me to write him feedback, which I did, every so kindly.
So that's how they got US$1957.99 from me!
It took about 3 hours for my brain to start working, so I did some searching. There is a good article (22 June 2016) about this exact issue at the BBC -
see here: bbc.com/news/technology-36084989.
Various Australian Government anti-scam websites also describe the exact thing that happened to me.
See for example: acorn.gov.au/learn-about-cybercrime/identity-theft
and also here:
Interestingly too, although there is very little about Apical on Google (although you can go to their website), they are a few cached articles from geek's blogs, which are not easily accessible in the first instance, so I suspect Apical is trying to delete them.
See here: webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wlnebJa5Sv0J:https://thecomputerperson.wordpress.com/2015/12/24/0800-058-8296-fake-virus-warning-page/+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au
Thanks for reading, but my apologies to the world for my stupidity.
BTW1 - after my brain started working again, of course I cancelled my credit card and reset all passwords. I also filed a police report and write a few other reports besides this. I will get my money back from my bank, but the whole thing has been a nightmare and a big wake up call.
BTW2 - I couldn't help myself, but have called Apical a few times since. They still behave like a completely legitimate company despite their scam. I had some long discussions with staff about their ethics and their job choices - they seem like desperate workers from the Philippines or India. I think I had one 28 year old unmarried Catholic guy called Charlie (yes, I got all that information from him) nearly in tears I think.
DO NOT GIVE APICAL ANY MONEY! IT IS A VERY SOPHISTICATED SCAM!
Apical Online Reviews
Computer locked with a microsoft number to call to repair. As need computer had no option but call ,as it would let me log off.
Called the number and they convinced me the could sort problem and was given a price to do so, which studidly i agreed to as it was a sunday,but another £135 was added as said it would take up to 4 hours but only took him 30 mins, total rip off .
What can be done now? not a lot i expect
First up, be warned that despite multiple post-grad degrees, upon reading this, you will think I am the stupidest person in the world.
The plot began with a pop-up screen appearing on my home-based work PC while using Facebook. The pop-up looks like a legitimate one from Microsoft, requesting I contact them immediately or my Windows account would be closed and my ISP would be stolen (oh, the irony). So I called, and then the saga began.
I got through to "Microsoft" who then transferred me to the "technicians". They are extremely smooth talkers, carefully explaining that my ISP had been hacked, so my anti-virus software couldn't pick it up. They wanted to show me how it was getting into my system so requested remote access. Stupidly, I acquiesced.
They showed how various ISPs from elsewhere were now in my system and other damaged files while talking me through it all on the phone at the same time. They explained I'd have to get it fixed and googled across to a Microsoft site outlining the standard US$499 fee required for a single incident (Interestingly this site still comes up in Google Search, but can now no longer be accessed - gets 404 error message). I explained that I'd like to look elsewhere, but they said it's a standard fee. So I agreed.
Then they proceeded to explain that this is a one off fix, and I may be hacked anytime again, so they offered me three packages to future proof my system. I chose the most expensive one (US$1458.99) because it covered me for 3 years with very low renewal fees following that ($29/year).
They then remoted my agreement including creating a digital signature through rightsignature.com/. They had full control of my computer at this stage and were moving very quickly. They arranged the signing of my agreement and the payment went through.
Immediately after this, I suspected something fishy (about time my brain started to work), and I tried to back out of the $1498.99 future proofing but I was still duped into the $499 one-off-fix. They assured me I could do this, but to wait a few days to see if I was satisfied with the new software first. I tried to push back, but in the end I relented. Besides, at this stage the payment had gone through.
They then proceeded to 'fix' my computer. They installed three apps (just lousy adblockers). Again, it was all happening very quickly and they were talking me through it all very technically at the same time. They then did some system clean-up, which looked quite fancy, but I now realise it was just a ploy and if I wanted to do something similar I could have done so myself.
THEN - this is how stupid I really am. Because it was an ISP attack, I suggested they remote into my other PC, my personal one. Interestingly, they weren't very keen to do this, but I explained that because it was an ISP attack, wouldn't all my machines need to be fixed? So I turned it on, and he remoted into it, and installed the same garbage and did the clean-up and god only knows what else.
It ended with him opening my email account and directing me to write him feedback, which I did, every so kindly.
So that's how they got US$1957.99 from me!
It took about 3 hours for my brain to start working, so I did some searching. There is a good article (22 June 2016) about this exact issue at the BBC -
see here: bbc.com/news/technology-36084989.
Various Australian Government anti-scam websites also describe the exact thing that happened to me.
See for example: acorn.gov.au/learn-about-cybercrime/identity-theft
and also here:
Interestingly too, although there is very little about Apical on Google (although you can go to their website), they are a few cached articles from geek's blogs, which are not easily accessible in the first instance, so I suspect Apical is trying to delete them.
See here: webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:wlnebJa5Sv0J:https://thecomputerperson.wordpress.com/2015/12/24/0800-058-8296-fake-virus-warning-page/+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au
Thanks for reading, but my apologies to the world for my stupidity.
BTW1 - after my brain started working again, of course I cancelled my credit card and reset all passwords. I also filed a police report and write a few other reports besides this. I will get my money back from my bank, but the whole thing has been a nightmare and a big wake up call.
BTW2 - I couldn't help myself, but have called Apical a few times since. They still behave like a completely legitimate company despite their scam. I had some long discussions with staff about their ethics and their job choices - they seem like desperate workers from the Philippines or India. I think I had one 28 year old unmarried Catholic guy called Charlie (yes, I got all that information from him) nearly in tears I think.
DO NOT GIVE APICAL ANY MONEY! IT IS A VERY SOPHISTICATED SCAM!