A Saanich senior learned a lesson about fraud the hard way after a computer hacker accessed her hard drive and corrupted files.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really scary because IB次元官网网址檓 very aware of these things. I read about scams all the time,B次元官网网址� said Margaret Boyes, 60. B次元官网网址淲hat can someone (convince you to) do on the phone? I tell ya B次元官网网址� a lot.B次元官网网址�

Last Tuesday, she received a call from someone purporting to be a Microsoft employee. B次元官网网址淗e says he can tell that my computerB次元官网网址檚 running slow. If he can tell that he must be legitimate.B次元官网网址�

He wasnB次元官网网址檛. A convinced Boyes logged onto her computer and downloaded, as per the callerB次元官网网址檚 request, a free program that gave him the ability to control her hard drive remotely from the comfort of his own computer.

B次元官网网址淗e took over the computer and I have him on speakerphone and he says heB次元官网网址檚 cleaning up a couple files. And after talking for 10, 15 minutes he said, B次元官网网址榊our files are corrupted. I can fix them for $149.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 when the red flags shot up. BoyesB次元官网网址檚 suspicions skyrocketed and she said she immediately hung up the phone.

When she checked her computer she found that hundreds of her personal files were deleted B次元官网网址� articles and stories sheB次元官网网址檚 written B次元官网网址� and years of emails are all gone.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just horrified that I allowed this to happen,B次元官网网址� Boyes said.

Saanich police Sgt. Dean Jantzen said this type of scam has been around for quite awhile. Police even put out two warnings this summer.

B次元官网网址淭he primary concern is that once remote access is gained to the computer, anything can then be done as if someone was sitting at the machine,B次元官网网址� Jantzen said.

B次元官网网址淥ffering someone you donB次元官网网址檛 know remote access to your computer over the Internet is like giving them the keys to your house. Once access is gained, a virus or (spying) software can be placed on your computer to monitor what youB次元官网网址檙e doing or access your banking information.B次元官网网址�

Boyes didnB次元官网网址檛 provide the caller with a credit card number, but sheB次元官网网址檚 concerned that there were files B次元官网网址� from having done online banking and shopping B次元官网网址� that could have such compromising information.

Fraud investigators have looked into the scam and donB次元官网网址檛 believe itB次元官网网址檚 targeting personal information, Jantzen said. Rather the callers use a high-pressure, dishonest way of selling overpriced software.

B次元官网网址淏e wary of any solicitation that comes to you over the phone or to your door,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 unlikely that Microsoft is going to contact you. B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 not typical for them to shop around for your computer problems.B次元官网网址�

Though this scam is apparently being attempted on anyone and everyone, Jantzen said itB次元官网网址檚 people who arenB次元官网网址檛 tech-savvy that fall victim.

Boyes agrees, adding she feels seniors could be vulnerable because they often live alone and are yearning for human interaction.

B次元官网网址淚f someone is lonely, if theyB次元官网网址檙e not mobile B次元官网网址� they like to talk to someone, anyone, even to a stranger over the phone,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how someone can prove who they say they are on the phone. Maybe itB次元官网网址檚 a bad instrument B次元官网网址� I know IB次元官网网址檒l be more cautious using it from now on.B次元官网网址�

editor@goldstreamgazette.com