Microsoft released findings of a study on emerging forms of Internet scam that
target English-language markets and costs victims on average USD 875.
According to the press release, criminals posing as computer security
experts contacted the victims over phone and told them that they were at
the risk of a computer security threat. The scammers then persuaded
targets to reveal personal data after gaining their trust by claiming to
represent legitimate companies (including Microsoft)
and using telephone directories to refer to their victims by name. The
scammers are believed to run through a range of deception techniques
designed to steal money upon successfully leading the victims to trust
their authenticity.
target English-language markets and costs victims on average USD 875.
According to the press release, criminals posing as computer security
experts contacted the victims over phone and told them that they were at
the risk of a computer security threat. The scammers then persuaded
targets to reveal personal data after gaining their trust by claiming to
represent legitimate companies (including Microsoft)
and using telephone directories to refer to their victims by name. The
scammers are believed to run through a range of deception techniques
designed to steal money upon successfully leading the victims to trust
their authenticity.