Compromised Financial or Bank Accounts

I am frequently contacted by someone who has fallen prey to a criminal who has gained access to their bank accounts.
Or the person says someone has had access their computer and they are concerned the scammer could gain access to their finances.

Recognize and Avoid the "Phantom Hacker Scam", "Help Desk Scam" and other digital scams.
Scammers are very proficient in what they do: gain access to your personal information, finances, and you life.
Knowing how to recognize these criminals is your responsibility. Ultimately no one can protect you from them, except yourself.
These scammers use psychology against us. We are trained to fear the unknown. We are trained to respond to threats and danger.

Examples a Scammer

• There is a message on your computer, warning you to immediately call an 800#
• You receive an urgent text message, there is a problem requiring your immediate response

Examples of a Probable Scammer

• You get a phone call from your bank.
• You receive a phone call from the police, or "the FBI", saying there are warrants.

That gut feeling is exactly what the scammer wants you to feel. The criminal wants you to feel, you must respond, you must do what they want. They want you to respond with basic instinct.

If you are the Victim of a Scam

If your bank account or other financial account is compromised, or locked due to suspicious activity:

• Do Not Panic (at least not yet)

Do Not respond to any popup, text message or email saying there is a problem.
Contact your Bank or Financial Institution immediately, using the Company's Contact information or by going there in person.
The contact number is on the back of your debit/credit card, or statement.
There are a lot of fake phone numbers and emails on the Internet. Do Not use those.
• Verify with your Bank or Financial Institution if there is a problem.
  They will advise you what needs to be done.

IF there is a problem Actions may Include

• Reversing Unauthorized Charges
• Putting a Stop on further Unauthorized Charges
• Creating a new account
• Notifying any other financial institution
• Reporting Illegal Activity
• Change Password and PINs
• Have your computer cleaned by a competent professional

What do I do

• First remove any way the hacker can get back into the computer.
• Second remove any malware, viruses and settings that compromise the computer.
• Third repair and update the operating system and relevant software
• Fourth, ONLY if or when necessary, Perform a factory reset or reinstall the operating system.