Doing that is a more complex problem, which may be best left to a professional. (We can't say whether this works or not, as we don't have the virus.)īut that won't get rid of the underlying malware that is causing the trouble in the first place. However, according to a genuine tech support site ( ), if you enter the key THTY4-89LK6-RTI23-XZTOP-05ERY, the screen will close. It will stay on top of every other window. The problem is that if you try to ignore the warning, you may find it difficult to get rid of it on your screen. Victims are left believing they've genuinely been helped! Once they're paid, the scammers will provide a product key which turns off their warning. This will connect you with a fake tech who will ask for remote access to your PC, then present you with the news that your computer has been infected and you must pay $200 to put things right. In the end, you'll be told you must call the supposed tech support toll free number. You can enter the correct product key as many times as you want but it won't do any good. The warning takes victims through a series of screens that ask them to enter a product key or to call a toll-free number.

More Scam Reports: New Wave of ATM Scams Heads for US It might happen immediately after an installation or at any future time. But in this latest scam, a window pops up again at some stage after installation warning the software hasn't been properly activated. If you've ever installed one of these Office programs, you'll know that you have to activate it once it's up and running.Īctivation means that your PC checks in online with Microsoft to ensure you're running a genuine version of the software that hasn't been used elsewhere. Now, it seems, the Office Suite is being used as a front for a new version of the tech support scam. We've previously warned about the risks of Office macro viruses - malware that's triggered when automatic routines, known as macros, are run inside programs like Word and Excel - in a past article: Macros: What They Are and How They Could Imperil You. The widespread use of one of the best-known business and productivity software suites makes it a great target in the shape of Microsoft Office scams. Theft Risks from 3 New Microsoft Office Scams We also have a warning about phony lawn maintenance contractors who want your money without cutting the grass! In this week's issue, we outline three of the latest tricks - a bogus tech support virus, a phishing scam and a fake subscription renewal alert. Microsoft Office is probably the most popular piece of Windows productivity software, so it's no wonder that it's also the source of a rash of new Office scams. Tech support tricksters employ new Office scam: Internet Scambusters #762

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