was I scammed on hp.com?

[wshevin]

I replaced my older laptop on which I'd installed the printer.  Windows Fax and Scan utility wasn't nearly as good as the HP Smart app and on attempting to download it, I got waylaid by a customer service representative who  got me on the phone and then persuaded me to let her have remote access (big mistake, I know...).  She found corrupted files, fixed them and installed the drivers and apps.  It is working fine but I fell for the $200 fee (lagain, I know...).  On looking around, I found a number of posts on this board complaining of the same thing.

What I would like to know is whether others who have suffered this have subsequently had security issues.  I don't see any now, and I quickly changed my Paypal password.  But i feel that I've made a big mistake.  Any help will be appreciated.

Thank you.

[Dragon-Fur]

@wshevin 

I am sorry this happened.

I don't know where you were, but you were not dealing with HP.

People do fall for one of the multitudes of fake HP or fake 123 sites on the 'net.

Bad people create sites that "look like" the good guys.  As soon as someone clicks on the site and accepts "help" , scammers take advantage of any victim they can snare.  The behavior is despicable, of course.

Yes - it's happened to others.

What to do?

Use your best security software to deep scan the system.

Don't fall victim to the people who want to do this for you - for now, use the security software you have.

Don't have any security software? 

Windows Defender comes with Windows

Schedule a scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Companies like Avast provide a free version of their software that can help with this level of incursion.

Do not purchase anything until you have done your homework.

Consider that ANY unsecured data located on the computer is at risk. 

If, for example, you had PDF files laying around that include your sensitive information, those might have been pilfered.

Change the passwords for every single secured account that is noted anywhere.

For Example,

• If you have all your passwords listed in your browser and they are not protected by a Master password, consider all these to be compromised.
• Change passwords for banks, medical records, schools, cloud storage, email, possibly your cloud storage account(s).

Beware of Fake "123" Sites

The "Real Deal"

123.hp.com - Printer setup from the HP® Official site

https://123.hp.com/

The official HP 123 site is where you can find the appropriate (and free) software and drivers for your printer.

The official HP 123 site is not a website where odd chat boxes pop up on the screen and someone tries to offer you "Services" if you would just give out your credit card and information. Not.

• There are several “fake” sites listed (in search engines) for “123” – please make sure you are using the actual “HP” site.

• Notice the website address – the real HP site does not contain any extra verbiage.  For example, there is no “setup” or other extra bits in the address.

• HP websites are the only websites allowed to use the HP copyright circle/logo.  Look for the copyright on any website claiming to be HP. If in doubt, scroll to the bottom of the Website to find HP copyright logo.  Example:  “© Copyright <year> HP Development Company, L.P.”

• If you are asked for money to correct "issues" on your computer OR if the “help” wants to log into your computer, you are using a “fake” site. Do not give these people your information! 

From HP:  HP Fraud Alert: Protect Yourself from Scams, Report Suspicious Calls

Document includes links to USA and Canadian authorities to report the incident.

Excerpted

Recently, HP has seen an increased number of third-party support websites selling HP driver downloads or diagnostic tools. Many of these websites use the HP trademark symbol and claim to be official HP distributors.

If your product supports your operating system, HP offers your driver and software at no additional cost through the HP website.

Use caution when dealing with any website that asks you to pay for HP driver downloads or tools that claim to diagnose your HP products. These websites might not be affiliated with HP in any way.

Do not install BIOS updates from a motherboard manufacturer's website. Only install BIOS updates from HP. Installing BIOS updates from the motherboard manufacturer can prevent the computer from accepting an HP system recovery. This could result in a loss of data.

================================================================

Don't panic.

It was unfortunate - and will hopefully not do any permanent harm.

Do secure your data and be careful in the future.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thanks!

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[wshevin]

Thank you for responding.

I'm pretty sure that I got to the fake 123 site from the HP.com site but my browser history shows, at 8:45 pm on 2/24:  8:45 PM  shows a 123-hp-printer.com site

15 minutes later I was on support.ho.com/us-en/drivers   and sorry but I'm not clear on the sequence after that.

I  think that just before I read your answer today, I'd looked at the "?" icon in the windows 10 taskbar, and found 22 items from you.  I clicked on one of them, and sorry but I don't know which one.  I'm so frustrated I can't tell you.  In any case, I'm not sure of the sequence, but after it did whatever it did, I can't print to it.  It has a different name now in the control panel, which has also reset the default printer to the fax, and there doesn't seem to be any way to resent the default.  The new name in the control panel is HO9DAD6 (HP Office Jet Pro 9010 Series) while the prior listing didn't include the HO9D prefix).  The old one has disappeared.  

When I try to print from Chrome or From Word, it doesn't list the new printer, just the "new" default, which is a fax.

I have to think that this is related to the incident, which by the way appears to be done by leveteetech.com, or so the "invoice" they gave me says.

I hope that you can help.  I'm considering removing all the HP devices from the control panel and perhaps resetting the printer to factory settings and attaching it again.

Thank you for the help

[wshevin]

I should add that after I went to the apparently fake site, the next several entries in my browser history are all from what looks like hp official sites.

also, the link from the notifications from hp was "having operating systems issues, which then I allowed to do something and that is when the problem occurred.

[Dragon-Fur]

@wshevin 

From the little I know about this, browser history will have been faked as well.

Fraud is not my area of expertise.

Yes, Uninstall all the printer software > Restart the computer and log it > Install fresh printer software.

If you need help, start a new thread and ask for help to uninstall and reinstall the printer software.

I will forward your original issue for Review.

Request for Review

• I have submitted a request that our Community moderators review your question / concern.

Worth Noting

• Our Community is not an HP business group.
• We are not HP Technical Support, nor are we HP Sales, Service, or Warranty.
• Our request for assistance on your behalf does not influence the outcome:  Our request is not a magic back door into HP Support.
• The time frame (how long it takes) for a response is not controlled by the Community.
• If / When there is a response, a Community moderator / agent will (should) post back on this thread before using other methods to contact you. 

Important

• Do not contact random numbers posted in a public or private message by “new members”.  Vermin are looking for victims – don’t be next.

• Please do not post any personal or case information here - we cannot make use of the data. 
• Posting personal information at a public site increases your risk from rats and scammers.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thanks!

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"

[wshevin]

Thank you.

It did not go smoothly, but I am back in business.  they had installed a "Direct --" version of the printer and at some point hp's software warned me not to connect to anything with "direct" in the name.  That was useful.

I would suggest that when people acquire hp printers and do the initial set up, that there be a specific warning, giving the correct address of  of 123...  what I'd clicked on was h23-hp-printer.com.  Had I known I'd hope that  this would never happen.

I think that there are a lot of sites that a google search shows up, higher than your own, with a very similar name

But again, thank you.  This was good customer service, although I wish that I could have just spoken to someone,   but this really did work well.

[Dragon-Fur]

@wshevin 

You are welcome. 

I am glad uninstalling and reloading the printer software worked without having to pound on it.

"Direct" might have been "Direct Wireless" or "Wi-Fi Direct".  It is a method used to connect the printer to the computer without the use of a router.   Read more about connection types and methods in your printer's user manual or at the Wireless printing center

If an agent contacts you as a result of my request for Review, that agent will contact you here before using other means to contact you.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Helpful = Yes to say Thanks!

Question / Concern Answered, Click "Accept as Solution"