Dialer Virus
Most computers have internet access these days and there's a very good reason for this. The internet is a very useful tool for many different applications. But, there are plenty of nasty things on the internet that you need to be wary of. If you're not careful then you are in danger of losing control of your computer due to viruses.
Most people connect to the internet through a broadband internet connection. However, if you still connect through a dial up connection then you will want to pay attention to the threats of dialer viruses.
What Is A Dialer Virus?
Dialer Viruses are a special type of Trojan horse which will do one of two things. It either replaces the number in your internet connection dial up settings to become a premium rate number, or it simply has an auto dialer on your computer which will sit there continually dialing a certain premium rate number.
If you ever get a much more expensive phone bill than normal then it could be a result of a dialer virus. Some people have been billed for over $5000 as a result of a dialer virus, which is why you have to be careful.
You may spend hours arguing with the phone company and assure them that you have never made the calls to these 1-900 numbers. But, this certainly isn't a mistake and your computer is to blame. You need to be very careful to avoid this old computer scam because it could cost you thousands of dollars.
Where Did It Start
An auto dialer is not a new idea. It was created by telecom companies as a way of marketing products using the phone to a large number of people at the same time. These phone companies also created a system where people could pay for things even if they didn't have a credit card by adding them onto their phone bill.
These 1-900 services are premium rate numbers and are easy to access. People can phone for gambling tips, weather, and horoscopes without paying with their credit card. These numbers will be charged at the end of the month.
How Do Auto-dialers Get On Your PC?
Auto dialers are just like any other computer virus and they get installed onto your computer without your knowledge. You need to prevent your computer from becoming infected with any viruses and to do this you should use an antivirus scanner. Firewalls are also important tools to prevent your computer from becoming infected with a virus.
Pay attention to these dialer viruses so that they don't end up costing you thousands of dollars on your phone bill.