If you receive a call and they claim to be from Microsoft either offering "free security checks" or saying that your computer has been flagged up on their servers as having a virus - HANG UP!

This is a nasty scam that is doing the rounds. Microsoft will NEVER call you about such things. They trick you into thinking you have a problem with your computer then get you to follow a set of instuctions which ultimately ends up with them being able to take control of your computer. When they are on there they can steal passwords, nose around and generally cause more damage than good. They will then want to charge you for whatever they have (or normally haven't) done! This is normally around the £160 mark.

If it is too late and you have already allowed them onto your computer, hopefully when they requested any payment, you told them where to go. However, they may have planted a virus on your computer or worse still left some monitoring software on there. If you have any doubts about what might have happened on your computer, contact us and we will discuss any remedial action which may be required to ensure you are not left vulnerable. I don't know how these people can sleep at night, but we have now been called on countless occasions about this, so it is really wide spread. If you are ever in any doubt about this sort of thing, then please call us for free impartial advice.