Criminals are using telephone ‘fear appeals’ and online ‘scareware’ attacks to generate £millions in stolen business details warns Icomm Technologies.

Organised gangs of up to 400 people are launching large-scale call centre operations to target vast numbers of businesses in the UK by masquerading as anti-virus professionals ready to help remedy viruses “detected” on business networks.

Backed by misleading web advertising and pop-ups, the gangs offer ‘An immediate fix’ to apparent problems detected on a computer or network.

The aim of both attacks is to extract confidential business information such as bank or credit card details by scaring the user or phone contact to download malicious software posing as a professional anti-virus package.  The information is then abused or sold.  One eastern European gang known to authorities, has been reported as making over £4.5 million in a year through such methods.

“Criminals are preying on the less computer literate members of the business community and driving panic purchases of erroneous help. 

“The gangs do however give-away clues that can help businesses distinguish the validity of an online offer or cold-call.  If a caller mentions they are ‘calling about your Windows computer’ then the alarm bells should start ringing.  Windows is an operating platform, not a computer, and you may even be using a Mac,” warns Icomm’s Callens.

“Businesses need to agree an internal protocol for network related calls or pop-ups.  This should specify no member of the organisation is to click on unsolicited pop-ups or engage in calls with unknown IT technicians.  Further protection should involve updating virus software and as a bare minimum ensuring an IT professional periodically audits your network in the same way a car is serviced.”