ERROR Message?? Don’t Make a Bigger Error!

ERROR Message? If you haven’t received a message like this yet – you will. 

It looks like you’re in trouble, right? But if you’ve called the number, you may be in even bigger trouble! 

Everyone should be concerned about viruses, malware, hacking, and anything else that can compromise your computer and devices. Scammers prey on this fear. You probably know that the Nigerian prince with the urgent need for $10,000 is a scam. But it can be hard to tell the legit “alert” from the fake. Cyber-scammers are good at this – and if you make the mistake of calling the number, you will soon find out just how good they are. 

I’ve helped my clients succeed with these three tips:

1.      Read these carefully. There can be clumsy grammar. The language will make it seem extremely urgent, and will insist that you call a specific number, or follow a specific link – you don’t have a second to waste! This “language of insistence” is a sign of a scam. You might be able to spot a scam – and ignore it – on your own. 

2.      Check with an expert.  These “alerts” often spike after a well-publicized data breach, or there have been reports of a new virus. Scammers know how to exploit this fear. You might need to check for that virus – but this isn’t the way to do it. Use your normal, reputable anti-virus/ anti-malware service. Call your IT support person if you want to make extra sure that you’re using the latest version, and it will check for the latest problems.

3.      Periodic tune-up. Hackers are busy, and it’s tough to keep up.  Many of my clients have kept an anti-virus platform updated on one device – but have problems anyway. Everyone has multiple devices, with multiple browsers, several applications, and different users. You can plug one leak in a boat – but if there are five other leaks, the boat will still sink.  I recommend a quarterly tune-up. The longer you wait, the more your devices (all of them!) are at risk. If it’s been over a year – what are you waiting for?

Contact me to schedule a tune-up, or with an immediate question if you receive an “alert.” 

One final tip: don’t send the Nigerian prince $10,000 so he can reclaim his throne and send you $50,000 in two weeks.