Is 2gro.com ok?

[Lorna Allison]

Hello Folks

I don't see any previous ref. to 2gro.com on the forum and wonder if any of you can enlighten me. This morning I received telephone call saying my computer was "suffering" (couldn't hear well what the young woman was saying). She wanted me to go into my computer so that we "could sort it together" and said that she was from Windows.

I said couldn't give use of my computer over to an unknown person, was not aware of any major problem and how did I know who she was. She replied to say that I could go on the web to www.2gro. com and when I said "but that is not Windows" she just cut the call.

Have since looked them up on the web and there does seem to be a connection to Windows 7 but I operate Windows Vista.

I still run Free AVG 9 and it says my computer is ok. I have a pathological dread of stepping into unknown territory to change things.

The only queer thing that happened recently was that I got an email from an unknown saying she had previously invited me to join her Facebook page (I am not on Facebook) and would I please join as there were people on her page that we had in common. Then she itemised two living relatives from my family tree who don't know each other and I asked one of them about her and she was completely unknown. I just zapped the email but it got me wondering if something was going on.

Grateful for any advice.

Lorna

[emanday]

Hi Lorna,

I tend to work on the rule of thumb "If you don't recognise it - dump it"

As to the call you had? I don't remember giving Microdaft MY telephone number when registering any of their software. Add to that the fact that you aren't using the OP she was referring to?

Hmmmmm!!!!!!!

[Currie]

Hello Lorna,

The next time you get a call like that pretend you’re deaf, and they’ll soon hang up on you. This also works with people, usually with strange accents, who are trying to sell holidays, internet plans, roof repairs, pest control, and whatever else comes to mind.

The person wasn’t from Windows or from Microsoft. They were asking you to allow them to have remote access to your computer so that they could tell you there were all sorts of imaginary problems and scare you into sending them some money. But then again it may have been the Mafia calling who wanted remote access so they could steal all your passwords and financial details.

Never give anyone remote access to your computer unless you trust them more than your own mother. Definitely don’t give it to anyone who rings up out of the blue, no matter who they are.

I’m not sure how the Facebook thing works, someone else may have some ideas.

Just keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up-to-date and do the occasional scan. Also keep your firewall enabled. You can test your firewall on this site. https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

And pretend you’re deaf, works for me.

All the best,
Alan

[emanday]

Never give anyone remote access to your computer unless you trust them more than your own mother.

I know of a case where a chap gave a techie such access on one of these "Help with your PC problems" often seen in magazines ads.

True, the guy did solve his problem, but he also disabled the anti-virus and installed a key-logger! The results were disastrous.

[Susan]

Hi Lorna

I had a similar call a couple of weeks ago. I did not catch the name of the company the guy was supposedly calling from as he spoke very fast - but his story was as follows:-

He said he calling on behalf of British Telecom and Windows and had been working with them as they were very concerned about a really bad virus which was making its way across the UK - apparently it had reached Scotland and in the space of a couple of days had spread across most of the country he said - told me it was now moving into the area where I stayed and that they could see it travelling along the phone lines and that it was very close to reaching my phone line and hence my computer and several people near by had already suffered badly because of it. He suggested that I switch on my computer and he would talk me through some processes which would prevent the virus attacking my computer as it made its way along the phone lines and that it would simply pass on by and not damage my computer on it's way past.

When he eventually stopped to draw breath - I told him that if such a major problem was occuring and infecting computers all over the UK so rapidly that I was sure it would have made the national news - to which he replied - em well I don't know. I then asked if he had meant to say he was working with Microsoft as opposed to Windows - windows being the product not the company name - to which he replied - em well perhaps.

I then told him that he was talking a load of rubbish and that I knew perfectly well how computers, viruses, internet connections etc etc worked and had done for years and that there was no way I was letting him connect remotely to any pcs, laptops etc in the house as I knew for a fact that he was not really going protect us from a fast travelling virus which could supposedly be seen moving along the phone lines - he was just hoping to access information on our devices. I then asked him politely if he could hang up as I wished to make a call to the local police station.

Needless to say he hung up promptly.

Susan.

[emanday]

=D> =D> =D>
Magic

[AndrewP]

Hi Lorna,

I had one of these calls a couple of weeks back, allegedly from Microsoft. They had detected a problem with my PC and he could offer a solution. I didn't trust a word the hoaxer said and gave no more of my time.

All the best,

Andrew

[Lorna Allison]

Hello Folks

Many thanks for all your replies and suggestions. I am glad I have clearly done the right thing by refusing their "help". I tried your Firewall test Alan and I seem to be absolutely fine.

Phew, what a let off. I just worry at times that I am making the wrong decision. Help from all of you has set my mind at rest.

Regards

Lorna

[jgmills]

Lorna, certainly did the right thing in ignoring this. The whole thing is a scam including the web site, twitter, facebook etc. The following is an article from the guardian newspaper.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/ju ... ll-centres

I too had a call a while ago, and the guy didn't want to believe that as a Software Engineer, I'd know a thing or two about computers.

As for acting deaf sounds good, but I saw Stephen Fry on TV recently and he suggested two responses.

Firstly : "Before you start can I tell you about My Lord God Jesus"

Secondly: "You have a beautiful voice, what are you wearing?"

Both seem emminently appropriate to use on these morons.

[nelmit]

The message left on my answer machine offering help with the problems I was having with my computer (first I had heard I was having problems) now makes sense. The message was immediately deleted of course!

Regards,
Annette