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Tech Support Scammers Find New Trick to Hijack Chrome Browsers

Jasper_The_Rasper
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Scammers put the user's browser in fullscreen mode and show a fake Google UI toolbar at the top in the form of a.jpg

 
                                   http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/fitted/340x180/tech-support-scammers-find-new-trick-to-hijack-chrome-browsers.jpg
 
Aug 29, 2016 11:33 GMT  ·  By Catalin Cimpanu Tech support scammers have come up with a devilish new trick to fool unsuspecting victims, relying on a cleverly crafted image and Chrome's fullscreen mode.
 
Their new tactic relies on crafting new tech support pages mimicking the visual style of the official Microsoft website.
 
When users navigate to this page via Chrome, hidden JavaScript code puts the victim's browser in fullscreen mode. While the browser's top UI toolbar is hidden, including the address bar, crooks load a.jpg image at the top of the page, crafted to look like Chrome's original UI bar.
 
Unless the user is using some sort of custom Chrome theme, a Chrome version with a different UI, or hovers their mouse near the top of the page, they won't be able to spot the difference.
 Full Article

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These scammers just don't stop for sure. In fact the other day had one call and tell me there was a hidden client on my pc talking to their server and they wanted to connect to my PC to get rid of it. I had used their software long time ago and told them my pc was clean and hung up the phone.Well.............they kept calling back and than proceeded to tell me the Vendor owed me 200.00 on a refund and wanted to send A CHECK OUT.
    I told them to send the check and hung up.....
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Vortex1019
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Sadly that is all it takes  for a browser to perform such things like this which is just a few javascripts. Add the.jpg image and a little bit of frustration from the victim and they will soon call the toll free number shown.  :(
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RetiredTripleHelix
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This is part of our Canned Speech reply if user comes across a scammer and one from so called Microsoft.
 
Daniel :@
 
NEWS ARTICLE: Tech Support Scams are on the rise.
 
Microsoft never issues this type of warning or email or anything of a sort!  Please see the following link for Microsoft's official word on this:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx
 
"Neither Microsoft nor our partners make unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls) to charge you for computer security or software fixes.
 
Cybercriminals often use publicly available phone directories so they might know your name and other personal information when they call you. They might even guess what operating system you're using.
 
Once they've gained your trust, they might ask for your user name and password or ask you to go to a website to install software that will let them access your computer to fix it. Once you do this, your computer and your personal information is vulnerable."
 
Also see Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently
http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/msname.aspx 
 
 
For more information here's what the United States Federal Trade Commission has to say on the subject::
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-support-scams
 
"In a recent twist, scam artists are using the phone to try to break into your computer. They call, claiming to be computer techs associated with well-known companies like Microsoft. They say that they've detected viruses or other malware on your computer to trick you into giving them remote access or paying for software you don't need.
 
These scammers take advantage of your reasonable concerns about viruses and other threats. They know that computer users have heard time and again that it's important to install security software. But the purpose behind their elaborate scheme isn't to protect your computer; it's to make money."
 
This scam is common and has been around for quite a while.  Here is a good Webroot Blog article from April 2013 by Threat Researcher Roy Tobin.
http://www.webroot.com/blog/2013/04/30/fake-microsoft-security-scam/
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