{"id":56774,"date":"2017-04-05T09:49:06","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T14:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pcmatic.com\/blog\/?p=56774"},"modified":"2017-04-05T10:11:20","modified_gmt":"2017-04-05T15:11:20","slug":"oahu-man-falls-victim-ransomware-attack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pcmatic.com\/blog\/oahu-man-falls-victim-ransomware-attack\/","title":{"rendered":"Oahu Man Falls Victim to Ransomware Attack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ransomware Victim Pays $599 and Remained Hacked<\/h4>\n

After clicking on a malicious ad, an Oahu man found himself the victim of a ransomware attack<\/a>. \u00a0The man clicked on the ad, to immediately have his files be encrypted by the cyber criminals. \u00a0The ransomware message from the hackers, displayed a support phone number for the victim to call to have his computer “fixed”. \u00a0He did so. \u00a0Upon gaining access, the hackers asked the man to log into his bank account. \u00a0Again, he did so. \u00a0The hackers was claiming they were refunding the man for membership fees, but had refunded him too much. \u00a0The hackers then asked for the man to refund them $599, in iTunes gift cards. \u00a0The victim did so.<\/p>\n

Why? \u00a0The victim was under the impression the man he was speaking with, was affiliated with a business he had a relationship with. \u00a0It wasn’t until the hacker reached out to the man again, stating the original iTunes cards weren’t working, that he realized it was a scam. \u00a0The hacker demanded the man send another $599, and the victim refused. \u00a0The victim attempted to go to the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint, but when he tried filling out the form, all of his text was being deleted. \u00a0The hackers\u00a0still had control of his PC.<\/p>\n

Avoiding Ransomware Attacks<\/h4>\n

To avoid being a victim of ransomware attacks, you can do the following:<\/p>\n