Life of Wry

Today, I was scrolling through Facebook. I had half an ear on the news, and was just sort of mindlessly rolling through what seems lately like fewer friend posts and more random god-knows-what stuff. I started reading an inane post about something (the subject of which I’m too embarrassed to admit even on my low-profile, minimally-read blog) and when I clicked on the “more” link my screen filled with blinking windows, pretty much threatening the end of the world.

I’d never seen such a frightful array of security threats. I was quite panicked and didn’t immediately recognize this as fake. I couldn’t seem to close the windows, or get any of this off my screen, so I figured it must be real and called the number (skeptically and tentatively, but I did). It seemed both real and sketchy… the woman sounded like so many tech support people — heavily accented and rote in the way she asked me questions. I answered some of the questions (like, “what were you looking at when the messages appeared, porn? gambling?” No and no.). I then said that I was skeptical of all of this and she hung up. (“Hello? Hello?)

I remained pretty panicked and resumed my fiddling with the windows. I still couldn’t close them but regained control of my cursor and was able close down my computer. Then I blocked that “Apple Support” number. Using my phone, I did some research and found that it was, in fact, a scam. Most sites said that if I didn’t give up any info, or share my screen, I was okay. I gave it about 20 minutes and when I rebooted my laptop, it was still there. This time I was a bit more composed (though still in a state of mild panic, seeing the windows still there). All I had to do was close that tab and voila, scary windows gone.

And I think maybe that’s the end of it.

I’m chagrined and now super nervous about everything online. Feel all vulnerable and certain that someday the bad guys are going to get all my bank info and passwords and corrupt all my files and photos and leave me with nothing. (I am backed up to the hilt.. so maybe not my files and photos.) I’ll have no recourse because they’ll be utterly untraceable and I (and poor JIm) will join the ranks of the duped and taken.

Just ick.