Scott Colling, of Ely Computer Centre, shares some useful technology tips in his latest column
This month the focus is on one of the fastest-growing scams I see in the shop at the moment doesn't arrive by email or phone call – it appears as a pop-up message on your computer.
The message usually claims that your antivirus protection has expired and urgently needs renewing.
It often looks genuine, using familiar logos and alarming wording to make you think your computer is at risk.
The scammers are hoping you'll panic and click the message without stopping to think.
These pop-ups are not coming from your antivirus software. Instead, they are browser notifications that have been enabled after accidentally clicking on an advert or visiting a website that tricks you into allowing notifications.
Once permission has been given, the scammers can send convincing messages directly to your computer whenever they choose.
If you click one of these pop-ups, you'll usually be taken to a fake website that asks for a small payment to renew your protection.
Unfortunately, the small payment isn't what the scammers are interested in. Their real goal is to steal your bank card details.
Those details are then often used to make much larger purchases, sometimes before the victim even realises what has happened.
Sadly, many of the people who visit Ely Computer Centre have already been caught out.
They often come to us after being advised by their bank, by which time the fraudulent transactions have already taken place.
The good news is that the problem is usually straightforward to fix if it's caught early.
We can remove the unwanted browser notifications and make sure they can't keep appearing.
If you're seeing pop-ups telling you that your antivirus has expired, don't click on them. Close the message and bring your computer into the shop.
We'd much rather help you prevent a scam than help you recover from one.
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