Q: I started getting a lot of calls from “Nick,” an alleged technical service provider for Microsoft Windows, about my system being hacked. He wanted me to allow him to access it and fix the problem. I e-mailed Microsoft to ask if this was legit, and they said no, but a Microsoft network engineer could take control of my system and fix the problem. It would cost $199.99. They ran a scan which they said showed it was indeed hacked. Not sure what I can do at this point. Is there a fraud reporting site?
— Mary Byrnes
A: You can report cyber fraud to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at . One alternative to paying $200 to Microsoft is to format your hard drive and reinstall Windows to return it to the state it was when you first purchased the computer. You may need to lean on a relative or friend who is more tech savvy. This site, , offers links to step-by-step instructions for formatting your hard drive based on the version of Windows you own. Just be sure to back up all of your important files, including photos, before formatting the drive.
— Andy Vuong, The Denver Post
