Computer scam goes viral in Canada

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and their partners at the Canadian Anti Fraud Center (CAFC) are warning that if someone calls you claiming to be able to protect your computer from viruses, your best bet is to just hang up the phone. Don’t give the caller your computer access codes and don’t provide your credit card information.

The virus scam has grown to epidemic proportions in Canada, now accounting for between 70 and 80 per cent of frauds reported daily to the CAFC. “We began noticing virus scam calls in March 2010. Since then, they’ve become an increasing proportion of our calls. Now, they’re the scam we deal with most often,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. Paul Proulx of the CAFC.

This dramatic increase means the scam is working – more and more Canadians are being targeted by the virus scam. Staff Sgt. Proulx warns, "If a scammer is able to log on to your computer then he has access to all the personal information you have stored there, including your banking information.”

Here’s a typical scenario: a caller, often claiming to work for Microsoft or another reputable software company, will cold-call you and ask if your computer is running slowly or not working as it should. He will then offer to repair your computer via internet access, which can involve either software installation or the caller gaining remote control of your computer after you’ve granted him access. Payment for the software or the repair service is handled via your credit card with charges typically ranging from $35 to $470 per call.