. >> reporter: security expert, jim stickley, says especially since the advertisements look like they are from your computer. >> it looks like a warning but is not real. it is a picture telling you that there's something wrong with your computer but there is not. >> reporter: i have learned a good lesson. >> hopefully we all have on behalf of her. right now, the suppose it technician can be persistent or matter how official they sound. apple and microsoft both say they are not affiliated with the companies who create the pop-up ads. the best advice, if you get one escape. >> it is so easy to do because you're right, you are caught offguard and don't have time to think about it. >> right. then when you let them in and they tell you've got this stuff going on you start thinking, it has been really slow. escape. >> good to know, thank you. >> somebody is always trying to take advantage of somebody else. >> there are so many scams, i have become such a cynic. i don't believe anything. like, when the u.s. treasury department calls my phone and says you better call back immediately or you w

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports revealing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they're gonna fall victim to identity theft, but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought to a local caf\, set up right here in front of people without them even knowing it, and instead of them connting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. what if they type in login credentials? i've got them. got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use that information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminalare continually finding new ways to ri

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports revealing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they're gonna fall victim to identity theft, but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought to a local caf\, set up right here in front of people without them even knowing it, and instead of them connecting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. what if they type in login if they type in a password, i've got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use that information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminals are continually finding new w

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports revealing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they're gonna fall victim to identity theft, but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought to a local caf\, set up right here in front of people without them even knowing it, and instead of them coecting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. what if they type in login credentials? i've got them. if they type in a password, i've got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use that information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminals are

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports revealing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they're gonna fall victim to identity theft, but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought here in front of people without them even knowing it, and instead of them connecting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. what if they type in login credentials? i've got them. if they type in a password, i've got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use at information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminals are continually finding new ways

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports realing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they're gonna fall victim to identity theft, but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought to a local caf\, set up right them even knowing it, and instead of them connecting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. what if they type in login credentials? i've got them. if they type in a password, i've got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use that information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminals are continually finding new ways to

jim stickley is paid to think like a hacker. he's been featured on investigative reports revealing where we're the most vulnerable to cyber crime. >> no one thinks they' gonna but check this out. in a caf\ like this, you know, people have this idea that they're safe when they're online. they feel it's being provided by the local caf\ here, so it should be safe. the reality is, though, that something like this -- this is a wi-fi device -- can be brought to a local caf\, set up right here in front of people without them even knowing it, and instead of them connecting to the wi-fi in the organization, they'll be connecting to this wi-fi device instead. crentials? i've got them. if they type in a password, i've got it. if they type in credit card information, i'll get that, as well. all of this information can be captured by the criminal, and then they can use that information to commit identity theft. i do these scams to show people what's going on out there. criminals are continually finding new ways to rip people off. and the bot

jim stickley here. if they tell us over the phone there's a virus on this, what does it mean? >> it means they're trying to rip us off, or might try to put their malware on. >> i saw a pop-up that said to call this number about a computer virus. can you help me? >> yeah. >> reporter: the technician computer. once he's in, we watch him poke that's him doing all that. within seconds, he has bad news. >> yeah, maybe someone else is trying to access your computer. >> reporter: that's right. he says not only is there a virus on my computer. somebody is trying to hack in. >> i'm going to clean up this brand-new computer. computer. >> reporter: remember, this then comes the sales pitch. >> what does this cost me to get fixed? >> if you go for the one year contract, it will cost you 199.9 dollars. >> reporter: time for the big reveal. >> my name is jeff rossen. i'm the national investigative correspondent for nbc news and this is a new computer out of the box. >> okay. i completely know your point. i'm not denying it. >> where's the virus? >> i'll show you. >> you were trying to sell