Applies To: Everyone.
Hello from Mike!
Someone tried (and failed) to scam / get access to my computer yesterday. And I had a few moments to speak to them (well it stops them talking to someone else). I show you what happened so you can be on the lookout too…

The Scam Attempt

I was at my parents the other day and my mum handed me the phone…
I instantly knew it was a scam, here is the rough outline of how the conversation went
[notes inside brackets are my notes to my mum / my thoughts / actions]

Minutes
On
Phone

Them

 Mike
0:00 Hello, I am calling from BT
 Oh Hi. How are you, how can I help today?
[Mum this is a scam]
We have noticed some error codes coming from your BT router
Oh no, what error codes have you had?
[Mum this is still a scam]
[Mum says: “how do you know it is a scam?”]
We have had error codes
Oh OK, how can we stop these?
[We don’t have BT broadband, and even if we did they wouldn’t phone us]
Are you in front of your computer right now?
Do you see error lights on your BT Hub?
No not in front of the computer.
Yes, I see error lights!
[I am checking train times home on the computer, and we don’t have a BT Hub or any error lights.]
Can you turn on your computer?
Yes I can, just wait one moment
[1 minute later]
Are you in front of it now
3:30 Yes, it is just doing windows updates 20%
[Checking the latest news on the BBC website]
OK, let me know when they are done
Yes I will, They are just at 50%
[Looking at the latest CNN polling in the US presidential race]
Is it ready? Yes?
Oh the updates are just at 90%
[Staring out of the window, mum went back to reading the paper]
5:20 OK OK OK are you ready? Can I give you the authorisation code? This code proves we are from BT
OK Yes give me the code
[You are not from BT]
The code is “888DCA60-FC0A-11CF-8F0F-00C04FD7D062”
Oh, could you just repeat that please, I think I missed a couple of digits
6:10 The code is triple 8 D for Dad, C for cat, A for Apple etc…
[Randomly typing noise down the phone]
Have you got that, yes?
yes
Press Windows Key + R, type CMD… [Long winded description of running a built-in Windows program]
OK, I have done that.
Good now type in “ASSOC” and press enter
Could you just repeat that
A for Apple [ etc…]
OK I have done that
Do you see your ID
Yes, shall I read it back to you
8:05 Yes
[On the screen is the same code they gave above^]
[I read:]  C798JU-EJD6 etc…
No no no, what do you see, do you see the code I gave you?
No
9:01 Hello, do you see the code
[silence]
9:20 Hello
[silence]
9:32 [Phone line goes dead]
*[knock knock on the bookcase]
Oh the vicar is here for high tea, just one moment while I see him in
[Background talking / noise for about 2/3 mins]

* These bits didn’t actually happen but would have if he hadn’t hung up…
^ This code is a generic code on all windows computers, it is not unique.
I suspect if the call had gone on they would have connected to my computer, and then they could have done almost anything! Want to see a full-length scam in action (contains some strong language), watch here [not made by us, over 1hr long].
My advice, take five, and hang up!

Stay Safe
Mike