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Posted By: ryck Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/26/15 07:03 PM
Today I installed a new hard drive on an old laptop and began the process of working my way though a bunch of updates. (Snow Leopard is the last time I had an OS on disk.)

After the initial install, I thought I'd do a quick check to see how things were working so I opened Safari and went to a couple of sites that I know very well.

Suddenly I got a very official looking pop-up (very close to the look of an Apple pop-up) with a dire message that my IP address was in peril from two different sources. The message was accompanied by a woman reading the message, in a somewhat panicky tone and urging me to phone the number provided.

Three things set off alarm bells. I could not get rid of the alert messages without doing a forced shutdown (ding). And, two, the person on the phone said they were from Blah-Blah company, contracted to do Apple Support (ding, ding).

Then he said I was infected and that he'd have to take over my machine to find the problem (ding, ding, ding).

A quick google of 1-808-518-4601 shows it's a pretty dangerous scam that's caught a few people. Don't you wish life was like those cartoons where one party reaches through the phone and strangles the other?
Posted By: alternaut Re: Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/27/15 03:05 PM
Despite the alarm bells you heard during your experience (and assuming you don’t already have it installed), I suspect you might be interested in something like ScamZapper. It could add some variation to the clanging, while offering instant support… tongue
Posted By: grelber Re: Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/27/15 09:19 PM
Originally Posted By: alternaut
... I suspect you might be interested in something like ScamZapper.

It should be noted that (apparently) this app is only for Safari. Other browsers seem to have "safe browsing" functionality — see discussion at the site specified.
Posted By: joemikeb Re: Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/27/15 09:26 PM
Originally Posted By: ryck
Then he said I was infected and that he'd have to take over my machine to find the problem (ding, ding, ding).

More like AOOOGAH, AOOOGAH, AOOOGAH instead of ding, ding, ding. I have a suggestion about how to treat people who perpetrate that kind of #A$A^%, but we have rules about that kind of language on FineTunedMac.
Posted By: alternaut Re: Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/28/15 12:02 AM
Originally Posted By: grelber
It should be noted that (apparently) this app is only for Safari. Other browsers seem to have "safe browsing" functionality — see discussion at the site specified.
To the extent that it exists, ’Safe Browsing’ is a bonus, including its implementation in Safari (which ryck was using). But as he noticed, Safe Browsing is hardly foolproof, even in systems that are up-to-date (which his may not be). And as the comment section you referred to states: SB’s updates are invariably late and rarely complete, making a utility like ScamZapper a useful addition to your defenses.
Posted By: ryck Re: Security Alert 1-808-518-4601 - 09/28/15 02:23 PM
Originally Posted By: alternaut
...I suspect you might be interested in something like ScamZapper.

Thanks....will do.

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
[More like AOOOGAH, AOOOGAH, AOOOGAH instead of ding, ding, ding.

Ya, especially at the part about needing to take control of my machine. The alarm had already gone up several decibels at the point where he said he was contracted by Apple to conduct their support.

Originally Posted By: alternaut
To the extent that it exists, ’Safe Browsing’ is a bonus, including its implementation in Safari (which ryck was using).....Safe Browsing is hardly foolproof, even in systems that are up-to-date (which his may not be). ....SB’s updates are invariably late and rarely complete, making a utility like ScamZapper a useful addition to your defenses.

Safari on my desktop, like other software on my drive, is up to date. However, this was the first level of Snow Leopard install on a laptop's new drive, so would be out of date.

However, even on a machine like my desktop (OS 10.8.5) I agree that ScamZapper should be a good additional defense to just paying attention and being particularly leery of statements that don't ring true (Like "We're contracted to do Apple support")

The message to those folks who may bump into this kind of stuff is "Don't panic". Agree to nothing and take your time to check things out. The very idea of a legitimate-looking popup, an urgent sounding voice and the statement "You have been infected......" reminds me of an old negotiating tactic - stampeding.

Once the other party is pressured into stampeding, they are no longer thinking clearly.
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