By Regina Salmi, Area Agency on Aging of West Michigan

A couple of weeks ago, I received a text message and several phone calls from a friend frantically trying to reach me, “I got a strange notice on my computer saying I had to call or they would disable me!”

When I contacted her later, I was relieved to hear she refused to give them her credit card number and they hung up on her. Too often, people who receive these pop-up notices on their computers, tablets or phones fall prey to these scare tactics, losing hundreds of dollars and sometimes their identity as a result. Tossing your computer out the window or smashing your phone with a hammer are not the answer. You can take steps to avoid falling victim to malware.

What is malware? When most people call for help, they say “A virus got into my computer!”. The mess that malware creates can certainly make us feel sick, but it is not a computer virus in the traditional sense. Malware, also referred to as Adware or Spyware, is a type of software that is usually embedded in something else. Whether it is a ‘free’ app you downloaded to your tablet, a ‘free’ software you downloaded to your computer, or a ‘free’ game you play through your internet browser, most likely you clicked ‘OK’ and, buried in the fine print you agreed to having the malware files downloaded to your device. When it comes to apps and software, nothing is free.

When these files get downloaded to our devices, strange things begin to occur. Like my friend, a message window might randomly open up saying we have a virus or claim that our computer has been hacked and requires immediate attention. We open our internet browser and without touching a key, it will begin bringing us to websites we don’t want to go to or the screen suddenly fills with 100s of popup windows advertising everything under the sun. We could even find our inbox filling up with messages to buy things that normally require a prescription or even our phone begins to ring with telemarketers.

What can we do to protect our devices from these types of software?

• First, don’t download anything unless it comes through an official app store like Google Play or Apple and even then, use caution if it says are there advertisements in the app.
• When advertisements pop up in your browser, be careful where you click. Many of these are designed to fool you by including a ‘No Thanks’ button or even a fake X button usually on the opposite side of the window. Close the pop up using the X in the upper corner.
• If you make a mistake and download some malware to your computer, stay calm and know that any threatening messages you receive are not real. Microsoft, Apple or Google will not send a warning message to your screen demanding you call them ‘or else…’. If you’re getting these messages, it’s most definitely fake.
• Do not call the 800 numbers that appear on your screen, give out any personal information, or allow anyone remote access to your computer.
• You can often get free assistance by going to the manufacturer of the device. For a Microsoft device you can get virtual assistance at support.microsoft.com, an Apple device support.apple.com or a Google/Android device go to support.google.com.
• Sometimes we need more than help articles; there are services you can pay for help. Best Buy’s Geek Squad offers support in-home, in-store, 24/7 online and phone support at (800) 433-5778. HelloTech also offers in-home tech support, online support at hellotech.com and help over the phone (888) 485-9455. These companies are reputable, established companies unlike the 800 numbers offered in the popup windows. You may have local tech support companies in your community.

• Stay in charge of your devices! While your son, daughter or grandchild may seem tech savvy and well meaning, unless they are a certified technology support specialist, they should not be trying to fix your computer, tablet or phone. People of every age fall victim to malware and internet scams and our well-intentioned relatives might make matters worse.

When we run into problems like these, our inclination may be to give up on technology all together, especially if we’re new to it. Technology is engrained in every part of our society though and can actually go a long way in helping us remain independent as we age. Today we can order our groceries and have them delivered to our home, call for a ride, see our doctor through a video call, pay all of our bills and connect with friends and family using a smartphone, tablet or computer.

It’s worth sticking with it and to learn more. Local libraries offer technology classes for adults, as well as many community and senior centers. If you’re a member of a group who would like a class on learning about how technology like tablets and smart phones can enhance your life, Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan will bring a class to your organization. You can contact us at (616) 456-5664 or aaainfo@aaawm.org for more information.