How the Tech Scammers Do Their Thing

If you haven't been hit by a tech scammer, there is a good chance you will.  That is when "something" takes over your whole computer and says something like your computer is ransomed, or has an infection and it will fail, or they will steal all the information on your computer.  The screen might say that it is from Windows, or it is from Apple, or from some other affiliated group.  The screen gives a number or two to call.

You try different ways to get out of the mess, but nothing works except hitting the power button.

What did you do to get that?  How do they do it:  take over your computer.  Well, it is a trick:  they haven't taken over your computer.  What they have done is put up a browser window in what is called kiosk mode, where access to all the usual taskbar icons and various shortcut key sequences are not accessible.

Ctl-Alt-Del for Windows and then shutting down the browser "task" or even sometimes just F11 will remove the threat.

For a Mac:

• type ⌘ + space
• start typing "activity monitor"
• as soon as activity monitor is highlighted in the spotlight list, hit the enter key.

For a good technical discussion of how this is done- how the scammers code the web page to make the ransom page happen, see:  http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/sneaky-tech-support-scammers-use-fake-addresses-alert-dialog-boxes-to-trick-google-chrome-users/