Phonecall from Microsoft?? Dodgy??

[Stuart69]

Bit of a strange one this and maybe a warning to others, has anyone had a phone call from Microsoft to say that they've been getting loads of error reports from your pc?

he had me look in the event viewer and then wanted me to give him remote access to "fix" all my problems.

There was a few errors there but nothing important that "could crash my windows at any time". I refused to give him access and he tried all sorts to persuade me. I just hung up then.

I know enough about pc's to think this seems very strange and suspicious to me that they'd phone like that.

Anyone else had a similar call?

 

[Mesquite]

Did you give Microsoft your telephone number at any time? If not then it's a con call

 

[Stuart69]

not that I can remember Mesquite. I tend not to give it to anyone unless I have to.

Running all sorts of scans just now in case I've picked up something nasty. This is my laptop I only use for the web and security is usually pretty good.

 

[rik_uk3]

Microsoft will NEVER phone you at home so its a con, and a con thats been talked about a lot this last month or so online.

 

[Stuart69]

yeah Rik, just been reading up on it. Evil, underhand (swear words censored)

 

[British Red]

Ask yourself this

"When did any software company actually care about the defects in their software?"

Especially Microsoft....if they had called everyone with problems in Vista, then BT would have exploded!

 

[tobes01]

You need to change your passwords for absolutely everything, particularly any e-commerce sites. At once. If you've got online banking, call them immediately and get them to suspend the service. Then contact CIFAS and ask for protective registration: http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=565-85

Oh, and get your computer off the Internet pdq, there's a chance it's got a trojan in it now that is copying everything across to the bad guys. If anything odd at all happens, you need to go to your local police and file a crime report so that you've got a number for insurance purposes.

Sorry about this, but it can only be bad news...

 

[Matt.S]

This i definitely a scam. A relative of mine fell for it a few months ago. Needless to say they have no error repots and are fishing -- who doesn't have some sort of problem with their Windoze computer?

 

[tobes01]

Oops, just seen that you didn't give them access - so long as you're certain that you revealed nothing then you're probably OK, but if it were me I'd be changing all my passwords just to be safe...

 

[Adze]

Still doing the rounds then? This has been ongoing for at least 6 months, probably longer.

Even the gRauniaD has reported it!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres

Suffice to say... if someone cold calls YOU regarding your PC security then your only problem is likely the person on the end of the phone.

 

[telwebb]

You need to change your passwords for absolutely everything, particularly any e-commerce sites. At once. If you've got online banking, call them immediately and get them to suspend the service. Then contact CIFAS and ask for protective registration: http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=565-85

Oh, and get your computer off the Internet pdq, there's a chance it's got a trojan in it now that is copying everything across to the bad guys. If anything odd at all happens, you need to go to your local police and file a crime report so that you've got a number for insurance purposes.

Sorry about this, but it can only be bad news...

Whoa! Calm down! Unless you can explain how a 'voice' phonecall can magically clear all the personal data from your PC?

 

[tobes01]

No, this one does exist - as per my correction, so long as you've not granted remote access you're fine. Once they have IP and remote access you're in a bit of bother.

 

[telwebb]

if you spend as much time on the net as the people round here do, and don't automatically hide your presence online then you are asking for trouble

 

[Stuart69]

Completed all my scans and found nothing, nothing on Hijackthis either. I didn't give them any information or any sort of access so It looks like I'm fine just a random fishing call.

I thought it was worth mentioning here just in case, like me, others hadn't heard of this scam.

 

[Adze]

FWIW they tend to target particular STD codes, so might be worth notifying your nearest and dearest to give them short shrift. I'm looking forward to them ringing me...

 

[rik_uk3]

Completed all my scans and found nothing, nothing on Hijackthis either. I didn't give them any information or any sort of access so It looks like I'm fine just a random fishing call.

I thought it was worth mentioning here just in case, like me, others hadn't heard of this scam.

Don't worry *** your computer is safe. Remember microsoft, paypal, your bank, AVG, etc etc don't ever phone you at home; its up to you to contact them, certainly would not ask for passwords and user names either.

British Red, you mentioned the POS Vista, have you tried Windows &? Fantastic OS.

 

[Stuart69]

no need for the *** mate, I'm not worrying, as I said, I'm happy my pc is clean. I was mainly posting this in case it helped others avoid the scam.

 

[Ronnie]

I got the same call - I run a Mac. I strung him along, then gave him a lot of quite pointed abuse.

 

[British Red]

British Red, you mentioned the POS Vista, have you tried Windows &? Fantastic OS.

Yep - I agree

 

[naefearjustbeer]

Definite scam its been doing the rounds up my neck of the woods. I am sure there have been warnings in the local paper letting folk know about it. I hung up on a dodgy caller the other day.