My store phone numbers forward to my company cell phone when we’re closed or the phones ring too many times. It can be a nuisance, but most times it’s great because it relieves the stores and has the potential to bring in more business. Every once in a while I hear a sad story.
Tuesday morning while on my commute to Greenfield I intercepted a call meant for my Gardner location. Everything started normal until the caller told me that she has been paying $100.00 to $300.00 per title for software utilities that install on her computer. She paid around $5,000.00 before realizing her computer is pretty much unusable.
This isn’t the first call of this type we’ve received. In fact, I estimate we take between two and four calls like this every week. Many times the people realize they’ve been duped after the first time, but sometimes it takes a few hits to their credit card for them to understand.
Over the past year we’ve seen a transition from traditional viruses to outright scams that resemble legitimate utilities. One of the most popular is the 24X7 Helper which is a little man or woman in the upper right corner of every window. To many this looks legit; however, that little helper is pestering users for money and changing the computer’s functionality.
The list of these utilities is a mile long and changing almost daily. Most seem to install instantly but can’t be removed as fast. Customers we talk with who have these virus suites tell us they’re compelled to pay the fees because they can’t remove them any other way.
If we had infinite amounts of money paying for their removal may not seem like a bad choice. But, paying to remove them doesn’t actually remove the software. Instead, the software becomes dormant and starts installing new copies hoping the user purchases those.
I’ve been asked a million times where this stuff comes from and can’t answer. We have a few theories but none are confirmed. Most of the time this software installs with other seemingly legitimate titles that the user has given permission to install.
That’s right, the user gave permission to install scam software on their own computer. Every time software is installed it comes with a user agreement. Buried in the legal mumbo jumbo is an agreement that in addition to the title being installed other titles may also be installed. By clicking the “OK” button the user is agreeing to garbage.
One of my company’s work machines was infected with the same junk not too long ago. My technician had to visit an alternate download location for a common software title we use. The new site used a download utility that automatically installed alternate titles as well as the one he was seeking. You can only imagine the ribbing he took from his colleagues.
Not only do these little software titles consume processor power, but they have the potential of stealing data and redirecting users. 24X7 Helper, mentioned above, adds little advertisements based on information it collects during normal use. If razors were searched for last night, tonight it may display ads for shaving cream.
I’m never going to convince anyone including myself to read long legal agreements, but hopefully you’ll be smart about what you install. If you do end up with these on your computer do not enter your credit card number expecting your payment to fix the issues. I told my Tuesday morning caller I could afford to retire if I simply called her everyday and requested money.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can text him directly at (978) 413-2840 or visit www.LocalComputerWiz.com.)