This scam has been going around for a while – someone from an alleged PC security company (sometimes even “Telstra” or “Microsoft”) calls up and talks you through getting to your computer’s event log. The event log is a technical record of the things done by your computer and always has a lot of stuff in it, including errors and warnings. That’s perfectly normal. However these scammers create a sense of fear in you by telling you that this is “junk and malicious stuff”, and it is “infesting the hard drive of your computer”.
They will then ask you to navigate to a website called www.ammyy.com where they will then get you to download a program that gives them remote control of your computer. At some point in this exercise they will get hold of your credit card details, at which point you can consider yourself well and truly scammed. In case you ever wanted to hear what typically transpires, have a listen here:
These clowns have called me three times today, and twice I have played along. On the last go, I decided to record the conversation. During this call I clearly got busted… “You know we’re a scam, right?”… great stuff. In case you ever encounter such a phone call, a couple of phone numbers they may call from are 03-90149568 and 03-90149868.
Now, it’s important for me to explain that my PABX only records conversations on demand (if you listen carefully you may hear me keying in the command during the course of the conversation), and that this recording was made and is published pursuant to Part 4, Section 45 of the Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 (QLD), namely the public interest clause. Besides, express permission was given by them during the course of the phone call. Do I have my bases covered?