The Winter 2024 edition of the PC Assist Newsletter is now available - click
here to view.
1 September 2024: Windows 11 2024 Update (24H2)
The third major update to Windows 11 (24H2) is expected to be released on October 8th 2024..
This update will be free for all Windows 11 users and will automatically download and install – it is being released in waves so not everyone will receive it immediately but you will eventually get it in the days/weeks/months after release.
An overview of the changes in this version can be found on my website
here
N.B. For the first few weeks it will be an 'optional' update which you can choose to install via Windows Settings, after a short testing period it will then start to install automatically on all devices.
1 May 2024: Anniversary
Today marks the 20th Anniversary of PC Assist @ Home, I would like to thank all my customers past, present and future for supporting my business.
25 March 2024: AVG Internet Security - Product Changes
As from today the AVG Internet Security products I supply will be changing as follows:
AVG Internet Security 1 year 1 computer - NO CHANGE - still £25
AVG Internet Security 1 year 3 computers - WILL BE REPLACED WITH - AVG Internet Security 1 year 10 devices - still £45
The new AVG 1 year 10 device package will allow you to install it on up to 10 different devices and these devices can now include Windows computers, Apple Mac computers, Android phones / tablets and Apple iPhones / iPads.
30 June 2022: Scam Warning
Please be aware of the following sophisticated scam which has been catching several people out.
Firstly, you receive a test (SMS) message which appears to come from the NHS telling you that you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid, this message contains a link which takes you to a spoofed (fake) website which tells you that you need a Covid test which will be supplied for free but you need to pay for postage (the amount varies, but from customers I know who have been affected this ranges between 25p and 99p), you are then asked to complete your postal address and phone number and to enter payment card details.
Shortly after doing this, you will receive a phone call from someone pretending to be the fraud department at your bank / card provider telling you that they have detected suspicious activity on your account. Because you have just entered your card details on the above spoofed website, they will know what bank you are with, and will know the other personal details you have just entered, so initially this call can seem quite genuine. They will ask for other information about your account such as recent transactions, balances etc to try and make the call sound as genuine as possible and even have plausible answers to any questions you may ask to try and verify their identity. They will then ask for further personal information saying they will refund any false payments etc. DO NOT give them any information. HANG UP immediately.
One of the phone numbers being used recently is 0345 610 0135, which appears to be a genuine HSBC phone number but has in fact been spoofed and has been used a lot recently for this type of banking scam.
Scammers such as these are very good and can come across extremely plausible. DO NOT be fooled, HANG UP the phone, and call your bank directly using a verified number e.g. from a bank statement or an official letter, and explain what has just happened.
The spoofed website used in the first part of the scam is incredibly accurate and looks just like the real NHS website, so you need to be very careful what links you click and what websites you enter personal and financial information on, just because a website looks genuine doesn’t always mean it is!
As most of my existing customers will know, if you ever receive a suspicious email (or you visit a website) and you are not sure if it genuine or not then I am always happy for you to forward them on to me so I can check them out for you. I would much rather spend the time checking these for you than you getting caught out 😊
31 August 2021: Latest Scams
Please see below details of all the current scams that have been reported:-
Computer Support scam - cold-calls or pop-up messages on your screen stating they have detected a problem with your computer, phone line or broadband service.
They use various different names to identify themselves (such as Microsoft Windows Support, Windows Technical Department, Windows Helpdesk, Microsoft Tech Support or Windows Service Centre) and usually say that they are working on behalf of Microsoft or companies such as BT, Openreach or TalkTalk.
The fake pop-up message often appear to look like some sort of warning or alert message indicating you have a problem with your computer - they often appear down the bottom right corner of your screen to make them appear just like a standard alert from Windows 10 or your security software - occasionally they fill the whole screen, and in several instances have an audible warning message which keeps repeating. The pop-up message asks you to call a phone number to receive free support, once you call this number you are often connected to an expensive premium rate number.
They then try to fool you into thinking you have a security problem with your computer by guiding you through logs on your computer such as Event Viewer and trying to tell you that the errors and warnings that appear means your computer is unprotected or has a serious problem that needs fixing. What they tell you is incorrect, even a fully working computer has some errors and warnings shown here and this is quite normal and does NOT indicate you have a problem Or they tell you that you have a problem with some specific software on your computer, that Microsoft is going to cancel your license, or that your IP address is compromised and has been used in a different country.
With nearly all the variations of the scam they then ask to connect to your computer saying they will fix the problems for you - at this point they can access any personal information you have on your computer such as bank details, infect your system with viruses and lock your system so you cannot gain access - they then demand money to unlock your computer and to fix the problems.
In some instances threatening and aggressive language has been used against victims, as part of the attempt to coerce them into sending money.
I have also had several customers that were previously targeted being contacted again requesting that they pay money owed for a fake malware protection service they had provided, or asking for a new subscription fee in return for protection from a new threat.
NEVER let anyone connect remotely to your computer if you don’t know who they are, and
NEVER give out personal details such as bank/card numbers, usernames or passwords.
Refund scam – calls purporting to be from various different companies such as BT, TalkTalk or Amazon stating that due to unreliable service you have received or other reasons that you are due a refund. They then ask for bank details so they can make a payment to you (which they never make!). Next they state they have 'accidently' paid you too much and ask you to transfer the difference back to their account.
Fraudulent / spoof websites – be very careful when searching for a specific company on the internet that the website link you click on is actually who you think it is. I have had several instances lately of customers looking for support for a TomTom or Garmin GPS product, and when searching on Google have gone to the first website which comes up in the results which turns out to not be genuine and is basically a spoof site trying to entice people in, they then ask to connect to computer to help and want to charge a fortune for fixing problems which don’t actually exist, and whilst connected have full access to all your files/data!
Amazon telephone scam – calls purporting to be from Amazon, saying there has been a problem with a recent order you placed, and that money may have been fraudulently taken from your card / account, and that to investigate further and arrange a refund they need to check your computer. This is a SCAM. NEVER let anyone connect remotely to your computer if you don’t know who they are, and NEVER give out personal details such as bank/card numbers, usernames or passwords.
Emails from HMRC - indicating you are due a tax refund or have an overdue payment – these emails ask you to click a link in the email to proceed – NEVER click links in any emails if you are not 100% certain they are genuine.
Emails that appear to be from a friend or family member - asking you to purchase iTunes gift cards for them and stating they will then reimburse you – this is a SCAM that has been running for several years now and often pops up again around this time each year. Just because an email initially appears to be from someone you know does not mean it is genuine, it is very easy to spoof the sending address of an email, so do not click links, reply or follow instructions in emails unless you have spoken to the sender first to confirm its authenticity.
An email stating you have been visiting “adult” websites - and that they have recorded your activity, and that unless you make a payment to them (usually by BitCoin) they will expose your details and a recording of you watching “adult” material to all your contacts. These emails often state they know some of your passwords and sometimes include a password they say you used recently, usually the details shown are wrong, but in some cases the password is one you may have used years ago and they have got hold of it from one of the many companies that has been hacked in recent months/years (e.g. LinkedIn, Adobe, Amazon, Dell, Marriott International etc etc). NEVER make payments to these scammers, and if the password they show is one you have used then make sure to change the password at any websites where you still use it to something completely different.
Telephone calls from various companies - such as Trading Standards or HRMC saying you have made an over payment to a company and asking for your bank details so they can process a refund – NEVER ever give out your bank or card details to someone who cold calls you.
Phone calls pretending to be from your phone/broadband provider or National Cyber Crime Unit telling you that your broadband will be cut off within 24 hours due to suspicious activity - again these scams are trying to gain access to your computer or to obtain personal/financial information from you.
Emails that appear to be from someone you know but just contain one line of text which doesn't make sense along with a link to a website - firstly DO NOT click the link and simply delete the email - it is not really from the person it pretends to be from - and the link will take you to a fake website.
Text messages or emails from PayPal saying you have made a payment - these are very common and are designed to get information from you, the link or attachment usually takes you to a fake website designed to look like PayPal to try and get your login details or financial information.
Texts and Emails purporting to be about your TV licence which are designed to attempt to steal personal and financial information - as with usual advice DO NOT click any links in emails like this, as the pages they take you to may look genuine but are not.
Parcel scam - text messages purporting to be from delivery companies such as DPD or Royal Mail asking you to pay a fee before the will deliver your parcel. These are nearly always a scam, if you are expectign a parcel then contact the sender to verify before making any payments!
If you are unsure that an email you have received is genuine or not then please feel free to forward it on to me and I will check for you and advise further. The same goes with phone calls, if you get a strange call then hang up, email me full details and I will let you know if it is a known scam or not.
Terms and Conditions
Payment Terms - Payment due upon completion of work or receipt of invoice.
Cancellations - 24 hours notice is required (unless due to extreme circumstances), last minute cancellations will incur a charge equivalent to 1 hours labour.
Goods - Remain the property of PC Assist @ Home until paid for in full.
Affiliate Links - Some of the links to external websites I provide such as John Lewis, Amazon, Currys, BT, Dell and AVG are affiliated links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click the link and make a payment. My product recommendation are NOT made on the basis of what makes me the most commission, they are made based on many factors including what is the best product available.
AVG - No refunds can be given once licence has been issued - if you wish to cancel before I send licence then please do so via email or text, and ensure that you receive a confirmation from me that I have received your request to cancel.
Data - No liability can be accepted for data loss of any kind incurred during a repair. It is the customers responsibility to make sure they backup all data, or request PC Assist @ Home to perform a data backup before work commences (additional charges may apply)
Bounced Cheques - Any fees incurred due to bounced cheques will be passed on to the customer.
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Privacy Policy - The only information that PC Assist @ Home holds about its customers is as follows – Name, Address, Email Address and Phone Numbers – this information is held to allow me to provide a service to you and to contact you whilst providing and promoting these services and consists of information you provided to me when initially making contact. If you wish to know what information I hold on you then you are free to contact me at any time and I will provide this information. You also have the right to request permanent deletion of all data I hold in relation to you which I will do immediately upon request. Your data will never be passed on to any 3rd-party unless required to do so by law.
Newsletter - Newsletters and other mailings are only sent to customers who have chosen to opt-in (subscribe) via the newsletter form on my website. You are free to opt-out (unsubscribe) at any time by completing the form on my website or by contacting me via email, at which point I will remove your details from my mailing list and stop contacting you via email, mail or telephone unless you initiate the contact when requesting service from PC Assist @ Home.