I have been around computers since 1960.
I never open or click on anything suspicious....always report phishing and scams...do facial/voice recognition if available....never thought it could happen to me!
I believe it happened somewhere using google..the people doing it were very good.
As soon as I realized that I had a problem I tried to change my passwords (using my computer). (At that time I did not know about using an authentication app)....I was using 2 step verification though...They were so good that when I would try to change my password and I would get the second code to verify the change I guess they would intercept it somehow and there would be a hesitation and the first code I received would not work and I would get a second code and they would instantly have my new password. During all this (and I was at it for HOURS an DAYS)....I got a code on my phone so I was able to get a phone number they were using.
When checking, it seems that this is a very large group and they have been at it a long time! I still have the number but it is in my contacts in oneof the backups done after the compromise so Im a little scared to try to get it.
The only way I ever got the problem cleaned up was to use someone else's computer to change my passwords..of course I now use an authenticator and depend on my phone instead of the computer if possible.
I also got a new computer and want to use backups from my old one but am hesitant....I have started (twice) to backup this new computer (my WD external HD has the backups from my old one on it though so I got nervous after starting to backup this computer since it was taking so long and I stopped them)...
What do you think about me taking contacts, photos, documents off of the old backups a month or so before I got hacked and then deleting everything on the HD and then doing a backup of this new computer?
I really appreciate any suggestions
