Netflix Tech Support Scam

Scammers are going to great lengths to get your money, so far that they're setting up fake Netflix call centers to trick customers into thinking hackers have infiltrated their computers.
One of these scams works by making the customer think that they've been locked out of their Netflix account, at which point they're given a number to call. That phone number directs to a fake Netflix call center, answered by a real person, who will  tell the customer that they've been hacked and that the hacker has control of their account. The rep will ask the customer to download "Netflix Support Software," which will actually be software that allows them access into your system and your files. 

After switching from a customer service rep to a technician, they'll run another fake program that, to the untrained eye, will look legit. The rep and technician will work to get the customer frightened of having their information and pictures taken by hackers, and by doing so, will make them feel like buying better security is a must, and they'll offer it. After claiming that they secured the computer, they'll ask for a payment—for doing nothing.

The video below is an actual recorded conversation with these scammers, from Jerome Segura, who tracks tech support scams. "By running their own tool, which looks authentic, the crooks can detect 'problems' that do not exist," he told ArsTechnica. "Finally, showing those scan results adds to the fear factor, as well as creating a sense of urgency to fix the issue."

"The Neftlix theme was well thought out—from the suspended account ploy to the discount coupon if you agree to fix the issue, the bad guys have planned their approach in detail," Segura continued. "Requesting a photo ID, as well as a snapshot of my credit card, was completely novel too. Despite being the untrustworthy ones, it is ironic they are trying to make sure the mark is not playing them. Aside from the fact that it is creepy, it creates a huge identity theft risk."

UPDATE: VIDEO CAN BE FOUND HERE: http://youtu.be/4mvI_sFw7EU



Careful out there and watch out for scammers who want your hard earn cash. Get real protection and give us a call to delete and remove their sneaky programs. 

(Credit: complex.com)

Windows XP End Of Life

As the deadline for Windows XP’s ‘End of Life’ continues to grow closer, Microsoft has taken another step forward in cutting out support for the aging operating system. Starting April 8, the Windows XP version of Microsoft Security Essentials will also be discontinued in tandem with support for XP.

 The following information update was recently added to the support page about the ‘End of Life’ for Windows XP… From the Microsoft Support Page: After April 8, 2014, technical assistance for Windows XP will no longer be available, including automatic updates that help protect your PC.

Microsoft will also stop providing Microsoft Security Essentials for download on Windows XP on this date. This is another nail in XP’s coffin via the Microsoft hammer for those who have been hoping for a last-minute reprieve from Microsoft. If you are one of the people choosing to hold out, your only options for anti-virus protection after April 8th will be via third-party security vendors.

 Support is ending soon

Silvermyst can upgrade your computer to the latest version Windows 8 and get your security and patches fully updated. Give us a call .


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Boomerang Google Chrome

Chrome/Firefox/Safari: Boomerang, a popular browser extension for Gmail users, schedules your messages to be sent at a later time or reappear in your inbox at some point in the future. For awhile, you had to use a "manage page" to edit and scheduled items, but now you can do that directly from the message itself in Gmail.


The latest update makes this super simple. To edit a scheduled message, all you have to do is open it up in Gmail and click the edit button. Then, change the date and time to what you want. To use this feature now, just update your extension. If you're new to Boomerang, you can find the latest version here.

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Microsoft Surface & Pro 2 Guides FREE

Have you recently acquired or plan to get a new Surface tablet soon? If so, then you will definitely want to grab a copy of the free guides for ‘Surface Pro 2′ and ‘Surface 2′ from Microsoft’s website!

 These guides cover a nice range of areas such as: set up, basics about the operating system, getting started on making your new Surface ‘yours’ with favorite apps, details about the hardware of your new tablet, connecting other devices, networking, and much more!

 You can choose the appropriate guide for your Surface tablet by visiting the link below.

  http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/userguides

Happy New Years

From Silvermyst