Computer Hack Warning
 

As of yesterday I can no longer access my HOTMAIL account. Seems someone hacked my account and has been sending out spam, so the account has been suspended. I went to Goggle to search for help, and called a help line. After spending over an hour on the phone with some guy I could barely understand, it came time to pay for the fix. This didn't sound right, so I told him I'd have to check with a local computer shop.

Today I took my computer to the repair shop, and he told me he couldn't help, but he said it was a big mistake for me to use Google for help and call that number. He said that was a scam so I can now expect to have more problems.

So don't open or forward anything that you think may have come from me. It looks like I might have to open a new Hotmail account with a new password. The bad thing is I've lost a lot of email addresses from people in the Model A hobby. This is why I would never give out my bank number, and not do banking over the internet.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Sorry to hear you became a victim of that scam....it's been around awhile. Same thing happened to me last year, I just blocked the email. Sooner or later, these arseholes will get everyone. I found many people are changing their email address to get rid of the spam and scammers. I'm thinking of doing it myself. So far when I have gone to where I shouldn't, my Norton has stopped me.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Happened to me when I had yahoo. I emailed a company about a product, next thing I knew the company I emailed got hacked and everyone on my email list got hacked. Needless to say I deleted my yahoo account.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I just told one of the banks I deal with to take a hike when they insisted they should have my email address and mobile number on file "for improved security". I don't own a mobile phone and told hem that I figured having my email address in yet another place that would be targeted by hackers could not possibly improve my security. Needless to say, I never use internet banking either and keep a very low digital profile.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Our work server got hacked early December - fortunately we were able to restore to another server BUT it appears that some Chrome passwords were also taken. My Paypal account had two unauthorised transactions (from China) for $USD 9,738 on following days. Thankfully my bank rang me when Paypal attempted to deduct the money from my account. Thankfully all the transactions were reversed. I am now very careful about not storing any passwords either at work or at home.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Sorry to hear of your IT woes - If you can’t sign in to your account, your password likely was changed by someone else. Have you tried recovering your account? If not; go to your Hotmail login page and select Forgot my password, and then I think someone else is using my Microsoft account. Follow the instructions to recover your account.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Scams everywhere !!! Sorry for your trouble have been there my self

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I use a Google Chrome OS and have never had issues.

Periodically I will get " official looking " emails from Outlook or MSN.

I never open attachements or external links on these emails
or on any other emails I am not expecting to receive.

To see if they are legitimate or not - I hit " reply".

I don't actually reply - that action composes an email draft
which can be deleted - but it lets me see the email sender address.

99% of the time it is spam.


Jim

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

As a person who makes his daily bread as a UNIX/Linux Systems Engineer, there are computer programs (e.g. CRACK, not rock cocaine) that can break most passwords
from a encrypted password file... Password should be changed at least every 90 days and never use a single world in ANY dictionary, in ANY language... Hotmail use MSFT Exchange, which like all MSFT products has holes and open to virus attacks.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I do not avoid the use of tech or on line banking and have not used a stamp to pay a bill in years. I have taken the following precautions to minimize risk. I have never been hacked, although I have had a credit card number stolen and used. S it may be helpful, here are the precautions I take:

1. Never open attachments or respond to unsolicited offers.
2. Use a Mac (I know it doesn't eliminated the possibility of being hacked. But it does reduce the risk.)
3. Compartmentalize my use of credit cards by having separate one for each use. I have one for PayPal, one for amazon, one for other online purchases, and one for auto pay of utilities, etc. That way when one is compromised and needs to be cancelled (It has happened to my online purchase card.), none of the others are effected.

This could be extended to email by setting up separate account business, personal, model A correspondence, etc.

4. Use "One Password" to generate strong passwords that I don't have to remember.

5. Use "Carbon Copy Cloner" to automatically make one clone of my boot drive every morning, and a second clone once a week so that in the worst case that I am hacked, I can wipe the drive and revert to a "clean" copy. The second weekly copy is there in case I don't notice I have been hacked within a day, and the virus gets cloned, the weekly copy should be still be good.

I hope some find this helpful.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I lost my Yahoo mail account I haven't been able to get in for a couple of days now, Grand kids pictures and some of past cars I have owned. I really hate this stuff. First year in college, first school, studied Mechanical Technology,They introduced a computer and took away the slide rule. Showed us a film on how we were to spend our extra time. Golfing. swimming, etc. Bullshit I wish we knew who started this computer crap, I'd kick him in the ass.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Hi Tom,

My wife & I as of the past few months have been receiving lots of ads telling us that we either won money or won gifts; hence, we delete "all" such notices as opposed to opening same.

However, you should be commended as one of the few highly intelligent citizens in the U.S. who realizes, cautions, and intimates that hacking is a very popular and devious sport "Worldwide".

And at the very least, you were wise enough not to believe and proclaim this current U. S. Heresy that "all" of the hacking blame in our U. S. should be placed on one (1) single individual with the name of Putin.

As always, thanks for your most sincere warning.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I have been warning our local club members about this for over a year and still 4 or 5 have fell victim to this. Make sure if you have given any banking or personal information you take steps to secure it. Most important rule on email if you don't recognize who it's from just delete it especially if it has an attachment. Remember Yahoo and ATT recently had over a billion accounts hacked.

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Just be happy it was not ransomware! Wife got it on her computer and we lost a lot of information. We figure the bad program came in on a machine embroidery design that she had purchased from a reputable site. Took me about a month to recover as much as possible. The ransomware was in the process of encrypting all the files including the backups. I run both MS security and VIPRE internet security and it still got through. You have got to be careful with all the scams going on out there

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Norton has been my friend quite a few times.

I've noticed that even on FaceBook, click on an interesting article and BOOM! Norton kicks in and tells me it's a No-No.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

Use Ubuntu.

I switched a few months ago.

Dunno if it is virus self protective or just no scammer can be bothered writing a virus for it, but I don't run a virus scanner at all.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I also use Ubuntu and have switched family members to it after they had complaints about windows 10.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

I reckon it is great and free too.

Firefox, office etc built in .

Unless you have to specifically use a windows based program ,it is the best thing since sliced bread.

Re: Computer Hack Warning
 

If you put into effect tip #5 in my post #11 ransomware will never be a problem. Just wipe your boot hard drive and restore from your backup clone. Let me emphasize that once set up, this is all automatic. I do nothing and the clones are created once a day, and once a week.