'800-953-457' Pop-Ups

Online con artists often rely on elaborated technical support tactics to convince their victims to send them money willingly. To achieve this, the fraudsters may use fake websites, pop-ups, virus scan reports, and other fraudulent techniques whose purpose is to convince potential victims that their computers are suffering from all sorts of problems such as:

• Malware infection.
• Corrupted system files.
• Fake error codes caused by problems with Windows.
• Hacking attempts that may lead to loss of data and exposure of personal details.

A recent example of a tactic that uses the techniques above is the one associated with the '800-953-457' pop-ups, which are fraudulent Web browser messages that provide users with all sorts of fake information regarding their computers' condition. One of the traits of the '800-953-457' pop-ups is that it may include a made-up error code such as 'Error # 0x80072ee7,' but it is very likely that different variations of this hoax also may use different error messages. The only thing that this hoax is unlikely to change is the contact number that is advertised as a toll-free hotline that will help users acquire the support of expert computer technicians.

The '800-953-457' pop-ups tell users that their computers have been locked due to a 'Malicious Pornographic Spyware/Riskware,' and their information, passwords, emails, Facebook logins, and other data may be exposed to cyber crooks unless they take action immediately. The pop-up also may warn victims not to restart or shut down their computers as this can make the situation worse. However, all of the statements presented in the '800-953-457' pop-ups are fake, and users should not fall for the simple tricks of the con artists.

'** Microsoft Warning Alert **