{"id":36722,"date":"2011-10-24T12:51:44","date_gmt":"2011-10-24T10:51:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=36722"},"modified":"2011-10-24T13:24:09","modified_gmt":"2011-10-24T11:24:09","slug":"computer-security-phone-scam-hits-sa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/security\/36722-computer-security-phone-scam-hits-sa.html","title":{"rendered":"Computer security phone scam hits SA"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to Khomotso Kganyago<\/a>, chief security advisor at Microsoft<\/a> South Africa, a common scam overseas where people posing as computer technicians offering free assistance in ridding consumer computers of threats, is now cropping up in South Africa.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way the scam works is that criminals, posing as computer security engineers, call people at home telling them they are at risk from one or another computer security threat,\u201d says Dr Kganyago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe scammers tell the victims they are providing free security checks, throwing in the names of legitimate companies and using telephone directory information to refer to their victims by name.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce tricked, these victims are left believing they have a problem and that the caller can help. From there, it\u2019s a few short, scary steps to permitting remote access to their computers or downloading software code, provided by the criminals, which sources credit card and purchase information.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to a Microsoft investigation:<\/p>\n