I think I might have been scammed. Someone tried to get me to download software that would let them view my screen, but I stopped the download. However, during the call, they input some commands into the terminal, and the output was really disturbing – it mentioned that my bank account information was accessed and even referenced Child Pornography. I'm genuinely worried that my system is compromised. What steps should I take to secure my data?
5 Answers
I recommend powering down your computer right away and unplugging it from your network. When I faced a similar situation as a sysadmin, I would literally disconnect the machine from everything. Hopefully, other folks can share more advice, but getting it offline is crucial.
Before you do anything, have you confirmed if there was any actual Child Pornography? If so, report it to the FBI through ic3.gov. It's essential to handle that seriously.
Sounds like one of those fake alerts. If what they were doing was real, they wouldn't be announcing it like that. Just stay calm and take the necessary steps to secure your computer.
This feels like a fear tactic used by scammers to manipulate you. I advise you to run a virus scan on your machine. The extreme measure would be to reinstall Windows, but you should at least try to remove suspicious software first.
First things first, don't panic! It sounds like a typical scam tactic. They likely just typed that scary info into the command prompt to freak you out. Disconnect from the internet and change your bank and email passwords from a secure device. Run a full antivirus scan with Windows Defender, and if necessary, consider reinstalling Windows to ensure everything is clean.
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