Listen to the phone scammers trying to take over my computer

This scam could let tricksters take over your computer – and steal your cash.

A couple of months ago I shared how scammers had repeatedly called my landline pretending to be from TalkTalk.

Well, a new bunch are at it. The latest con artists called my mobile phone and pretended to be from BT. So I grabbed a camera and recorded what they said. I hope the video gives you an idea of what to look out for – and what to avoid.

I think you could tell that was a scam from the off, but people do get sucked in by these all the time. Often it’s the panic that they could lose everything that prompts them to follow the instructions.

If I’d done as the scammer said they could have taken over my computer to steal my details or, like with the recent NHS hack, locked it using what’s called ransomware.

The basics to beat scammers

Phone, email and text scams are getting more sophisticated, so you always need to be on guard. But the basics to keep safe are simple.

• Be wary of any unsolicited contact
• Don’t give any personal details unless you are sure it’s legitimate
• Don’t download any software you’ve been instructed to over the phone, or click links in emails or texts
• Hang up and call back on a different line using a number you find

Read more about protecting yourself from phone scammers in my article How phone scammers tried to rip me off