�� PUBLIC NOTICE �Security Warning � Advisory:�If you receive any cold calls claiming to be from "PC Wizards" then beware & read the following - Please DO NOT ignore: �If you have reached this page because you have been searching & trying to find out more about this issue, then this is the exact reason we have been compelled to create this page to give you a bit more information about this scam & distance ourselves from it. Background This is a known fraud by the authorities that has been going on for some time whereby the unsuspecting members of the public get random unsolicited calls from abroad (mainly from Indian Sub-Continent Or Eastern Europe) purporting to be representing some popular companies such as Microsoft, PC Wizard & many others. They sound convincing as they seem to be trained call centre staff who would usually address you with your name & contact information thereby winning your trust & confidence. Perhaps they get the details from leaked databases, directories, Electoral register or Social media. However, if you press them for any specifics then they fumble & their English is not proper. They trick you by claiming to be genuinely wanting to offer free support and help you because; either your PC is slow or some other vague errors appearing in your system management (which most PCs do have to an extent). They falsely claim that your computer has been sending out these error messages & that they have linked it to your system with the IP address. Sometimes they also ask you to go online to remotely control & access your PC which could leave you with a compromised system. Eventually they deceive you to pay for some fake or bogus software or make some other excuse. At the end they convince & demand you to pay extortionate figures & extract from you the financial details. They generally never give you a valid support number to call back in case of any issues. Therefore, most people just end up doing a Google search for the term "Pc Wizard/s" once they realise they have been conned & unfortunately our business details appear as a result due to similar name match. We make it�Absolutely�clear that we have got no association & nothing to do with these calls whatsoever. In fact we are also the victims as they put us into disrepute due to their unscrupulous & illicit criminal activities. We ask you to be prudent & not to trust anyone without authentication as we never market our services this way. The clients have to proactively find out about us using the conventional media & then contact us. Ironically we end up getting calls from all across UK complaining to us from as far as Scotland to Wales to Isle of Wight whereas we only cover the North & West London including parts of Herts & Bucks counties. on 22nd June we got repeated calls from a lady in Bristol who was so exasperated with this issue that she was insistent on getting our address and was just adamant on sending us a �120 cheque in the post without our demand or any work done by us except on one condition; We had to promise her that she shan�t be bothered with these nuisance calls any more as she was so stressed with the ruthless demands. We'd a hard time convincing her & explaining why not to send us the money as the crooks ask for instant payment plus harvest the card details. � If you've been the unfortunate victim of this fraud then Our advice is that; Do not entertain their calls anymore, hang up the phone. If you have unknowingly divulged details then, contact & report the fraud to the�financial organization involved with the transactoin at the earliest �so as to block the card & attempt to claim chargeback. If you allowed them remote access to control your PC Or downloaded any other software on their recommendation then, remove the associated programs. If �in doubt, disconnect from the internet & contact a local reputable IT support business for help in cleaning up & securing the PC. Do ensure that you've got a trusted & complete internet security that is effective with proper configurations including the firewall which is fully functional. Report it to any other relevant authorities including the Police via�"Action Fraud". � ...for further help & for more info, check out the following direct relevant links & extracts from�ActionFraud�; CIFAS (UK's Fraud Prevention Service) CIFAS is the world's first not-for-profit fraud prevention data sharing scheme. Following specification by the Home Office under the Serious Crime Act 2007, public authorities are able to join CIFAS and share information reciprocally to prevent fraud. It has 270 members across banking, credit cards, asset finance, retail credit, mail order, insurance, savings and investments, telecommunications, factoring, and share dealing. Members share information about identified frauds in the fight to prevent further fraud. Citizens Advice The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues. Visit�www.adviceguide.org.uk�or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06 (English language) or 08454 04 05 05 (Welsh language) from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Financial Fraud Action UK Raises awareness about all types of financial fraud in the UK. The Financial Fraud Action UK website includes information about different types of payment fraud and useful downloads. Get Safe Online Get Safe Online provides a source of unbiased, user-friendly advice about online safety to UK consumers and micro-businesses, making sure internet users are aware of key risks and have the right information to help protect themselves. Since its inception, it has operated as a joint initiative between HM Government, the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), and private and public sponsors from the worlds of retail, technology, finance and communications. Which? Consumer rights An expert guide to your consumer rights with free tools and advice for what to do if things go wrong. � � � � �How to get your money back after a scam � � � � � �Letter to make a chargeback claim Police Central E-Crime Unit This specialist unit was set up to create a national centre of excellence to combat e-crime. It aims to improve the�police response to victims of e-crime by developing the capability of the police service across the UK, co-ordinating the law enforcement approach to all types of e-crime, and by providing a national investigative capability for the most serious e-crime incidents. �..... �