If you receive a call from someone offering to help solve your computer problems or sell you a software license, hang up. According to the USPS® Corporate Information Security Office (CISO), neither Microsoft® nor any of the Postal Service’s™ technology partners make unsolicited phone calls to employees.
Some employees recently received calls from a man claiming to be a Microsoft Windows support technician. The man said he detected a security breach on the employee’s computer and offered to correct it for a fee. These calls are a form of phishing — attempts to get sensitive information from an employee or consumer.
“Once he gains your trust, the cybercriminal might ask for your user name and password or ask you to go to a website to install software that’ll let them access your computer to fix it,” said CISO Manager Chuck McGann. “Once you do this, your computer and your personal information is vulnerable.”
Employees should treat all unsolicited phone calls at work and at home with skepticism, McGann said.
— Corporate Information Security Office,
Chief Information Officer, 10-16-14
