Ransomware and Support Scams used to be separate entities, but now there is a new breed that is basically a hybrid of the two. If a user unsuspectingly downloads the malware from a phony Adobe update link or comprimised ad, the malware will automatically run at each startup, taking over the entire screen with the fake warning. Advanced users may know how to dismiss or remove the screen, but to the untrained eye, these do look like Microsoft alerts. Seemingly for them the only way to fix the issue is to contact support at an 800 number. Once the victim calls they are asked to launch a built in Teamviewer feature and pay $250 for the fix. Infected and need help? Give us a call.
Leave a Reply