Hackers are trying to make you pay for the computer problems that they cause.
I had a Netgear 1605 error when trying to install netgear wireless drivers. So I of course googled that error.
The number 1 site to come up on Google says netgear support with a phone number. So I assume its the official netgear support phone number.
So it's at night and a tech from India answers my call. This is not uncommon since many tech firms outsource support.
However, I bought a new wireless netgear usb adapter about a month ago and obviously support to install the drivers is free.
So after the tech takes over my computer in a shared session, he shows me a Windows 10 alert that says I have a trojan horse.
Next he says that it will cost him me $ 79 to remove the threat and wants my credit card information.
So I say 1st you need to prove you are actually from Netgear while he was writing out the support case number. I said let me call Netgear with that case number directly to make sure this is real.
He then starts deleting the case number, so I power off my computer.
I then hang up the phone, I turn back on the computer and go to task manage and see an unknown program is running on startup, so I uncheck to disable it.
I then reboot the computer again, and install an anti malware program which does in fact find 2 threats and gets rid of them.
They probably came from some freeware that I previously installed.
However, the hackers are now smarter, instead of just messing up your computer a bit, the freeware creates an error that if you search for it on google brings you to their scam website where they try to steal money from you to fix the problem that they created.
What's funny if you are now running in real time mode the anti malware software it will not even let you enter their website. It warns you of fraud.
However, google is still taking money from these scammers to advertise their site at the top of their search results.
