Windows Technical Support scam

[JohnRoss]

Just to warn you that you may get a phone call like the one I got today

from, they say, Windows Technical Division.They tell you that your computer has

been sending them messages about virus infections and ask you to look at certain

windows on your computer, Windows log file, and then say that what you are seeing, some log entries have red blobs beside them, is evidence of a

virus/malware infection. They then ask you to go to a certain website and

download something. I note that this scam has been mentioned before on this forum.

It was at this point I stopped going along with them and asked for some

information about my recent emails with Microsoft which they could not do. I had noted that emails from Microsoft customer support have Indian sounding names on them and it was this that made me think that the call might be genuine initially. I

only went this far as I had been in contact with Microsoft about a Windows

problem caused by a virus and their call today must be purely coincidence. In

fact when I challenged the bloke, heavy Indian accent, to tell me what was the

subject of my recent communication with Microsoft he got very stroppy and hung

up on me. So be warned folks they sound quite genuine but they ain't!!!!!!!

................................JR

PS Read all about this scam below. The last one is a Youtube video of such

a phone call.

PPS The longer they take with the call the fewer people they can scam, the

record is 1Hr 20 mins of their time wasted. You will be ok as long as you don't

download anything!

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/10/i-am-calling-you-from-windows-a-tech-support-scammer-dials-ars-technica/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2012/mar/23/hoax-microsoft-windows-security-calls

http://www.informationweek.com/security/management/microsoft-windows-support-call-scams-7-f/240005023

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFRtPus3DQ

[Pierre ZFP]

My son (self confessed über computer geek [geek]) took one of these calls recently.  He played Mr Innocent and strung them along for ages until he came out with 'So, all my computers run Android or Linux, will your download fix these too?"  They rapidly hung up [:D]

[Pickles]

I received two of these recently. To the first, I denied that I had any computers at all. To the second, I went further and said that I didn't even have a telephone (I was a bit more awake and quicker on the uptake that day!).

[Pierre ZFP]

Like it   [:D][:D][:D]

[YCCMB]

I was getting one of these a week for months. After a while, I got bored with telling them I didn't have a computer, I only have Macs, I'm not running Windows, I'm a Microsoft employee working from home, etc... I even tried leaving them on the line while I did the ironing. In the end I just hung up every time I heard the crackle of a long distance call on the line.

[Quillan]

We had a thread on this last year, it  might have even of been the year before. There was a quote in there from the Microsoft website telling you that they never phone anyone. Quite frankly I am amazed they are still trying this scam but then they are still trying loads of the old scams.

[DerekJ]

I usually respond with a polite observation regarding sex and travel.

However, on one occasion, I pretended to be following their instructions (without touching my PC of course) and pretended to be confused when the things they were telling me weren't working. After a reasonable period I became bored and then reverted to my sex and travel out pouring.

[YCCMB]

[quote user="Quillan"]We had a thread on this last year, it  might have even of been the year before. There was a quote in there from the Microsoft website telling you that they never phone anyone. Quite frankly I am amazed they are still trying this scam but then they are still trying loads of the old scams.[/quote]

I got my first 419 scam letter at work in about 1983. They're still trying that, too. Even more surprising, there are still people posting them on the internet under the heading "Is this a scam?"

[PaulT]

[quote user="Quillan"]We had a thread on this last year, it  might have even of been the year before. There was a quote in there from the Microsoft website telling you that they never phone anyone. Quite frankly I am amazed they are still trying this scam but then they are still trying loads of the old scams.[/quote]

They pay them peanuts so they can keep trying until someone falls for it.

There was a story about an American on a six figure salary outsourcing his work to China for a sixth of what he was being paid.

[ebaynut]

This is the guy who has been phoning you all. His name is John and he works for UKBA in the immigration department at Peterborough in his spare time.

 

 

[IMG]http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk77/ebaynut/funny%20pictures%20and%20icons/Microsoft.jpg[/IMG]

 

 

[AnOther]

Love the photo of Bill Gates, what part does that play in the job I wonder ?

[sid]

It prevents friction burns to the knee. [;-)]

[HoneySuckleDreams]

They are still trying it on with this scam - so be warned. Wifey phoned me up on the mobile this morning saying she had the MS technical support people on the line saying that our computer was badly infected and she needed their help. Luckily she remembered I had mentioned it a while back and thought to confirm with me before something costly occurred. Nice indian chap she said...very good american accent.