today sammers locked my computer and said they are Microsoftway customer service. asked to press my window key and R same time to fix my IP address hacked. could they have changed my IP address ?

Question

Today 11:30 AM MY COMPUTER WAS LOCKED AND SIGN CAME UP CONTACT MICROSOFT SERVICE PHONE:833-445-3557 TO FIX MY COMPUTER LOCKING. AFTER WAS CONNECTED TO OTHER TECH SERVICE PNONE: 808-301-1729 ASKED ME TO PRESS WINDOW TAB AND R SAME TIME ON MY KEYBOARD. THEN HE SAID TODAY IN THE MORNING 4 AM MY COMPUTER WAS HACKED AND MY PHONES. THEY GOT MY CREDIT CARD AND BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATOIN. HE SAID HE WILL FIX IT. THAN HE GAVE ME FIRST NUMBERS FOR CREDIT CARDS 5,3,6,4 AND ASKED ME HOW MANY CREDIT CARDS / DEBIT CARDS HAVE FIRST NUMBER WITH THIS LISTED NUMBERS. I said I will call Microsoft customer service, he said do not call your phone it is hacked. After he asked for my credit card / debit cards bank phone numbers, I called the bank on a friend phone, bank said, do not give out phone number. When he heard me speaking on my friend phone to the bank, he hung up on me. After called his phone back, message came up not listed phone number. This afternoon called all banks and canceled and asked for new credit cards. Also changed all my checking accounts. Could they have changed my Ip number in the computer. ??? What should I do to check it.

Answer 1

It sounds like you encountered a tech support scam. Scammers often use tactics to frighten users into believing their devices are compromised and that they need to call a specific number for help. They may even lock your screen with fake messages to make it seem urgent. Microsoft does not lock computers and does not ask for personal information or payment in this manner.

Regarding your question about whether they could have changed your IP address, while it's technically possible for a hacker to manipulate network settings, the more pressing concern is that you should secure your accounts and devices. Since you've already contacted your banks and canceled your cards, that's a good step.

To check your IP address, you can use the command prompt on your computer:

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type cmd and press Enter.
3. In the command prompt, type ipconfig and press Enter. This will display your current IP address.

If you suspect any ongoing issues, consider running a full antivirus scan with Microsoft Defender or another trusted security software to ensure your system is clean. Additionally, be cautious of any further unsolicited communications claiming to be from Microsoft or other services.

Answer 2

Hello,

I am so sorry you fell victim of a classic case of IT support scam.

When you run into situation like that, you want to hold down Ctrl+Alt+Del, then launch Task Manager, and then end all browser items there to close it. That page is nothing more than a regular pop up, usually as long as you didn't call the number and engage in any of the requested activities, your computer is completely fine. It is just a pop up page that can have some audio effect (sometimes) and display in full screen mode, so it appears the computer is locked.

Scammers use various methods to trigger these pop-ups. Pop-ups are a form of online advertising. They are often integrated into websites or applications through ad services. Many websites use third-party advertising services to display ads. Sometimes, these ad services might inadvertently allow scam ads to be displayed. This does not mean the website itself is malicious, but it indicates a lack of stringent ad vetting.

You can read more about this type of support scam here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/protect-yourself-from-tech-support-scams-2ebf91bd-f94c-2a8a-e541-f5c800d18435

So, just want to make sure, you didn't let them remote into your computer, or install anything they asked you to install, right? IF you didn't do any of that, your computer itself is fine.