My friend has just received a phone call supposedly from microsoft

100% con. I've read about this scam awhile back.

When they call and tell me there's something wrong with my computer I tell them I don't have a computer, then I put on my best hysterical voice and say "Oh my god are you one of those SCAMS they warn us about?".
They hang up every time.

ya scam, they call here at least once a month, always tell them to take a hike and they keep calling back from different numbers.

It's a scam. I"ve gotten that scam twice on my computer now, it locked up my whole computer and told me that I have to pay them to unlock it. Was a nightmare to get the virus off.

Never got a phone call, just a popup window and my computer shut down.

It's amazing that they can't catch these criminals.

well microsoft itself is a scam along with all its ''wondowses'' .. that just LOVE BLUE SCREENS..

So, by logic & common sense, if microsoft is a scam - EVERY1 representing dem IS A DOUBLE SCAM !

Hope that helps..

Peace yo

Many thanks guys. I've passed the message on. I think he just paid the money!

Wow........call him back. If he used his credit card, which most likely he did, tell him to call his credit card company right away and report it as a fraudulent transaction ASAP!

Thanks Lisa. Just phoned him. He's going to owe me a few beers for this, lol.


Seems he's lost his original installation package too, so even a reformat is a problem. Any suggestions folks, or does he now have a new door stop?

:)

hehtry thepiratesbay.. PLENTY OF WINDOWSES..

I just find it ridicilous to pay around $250-$300 for something THAT LOVES BLUE SCREENS ...

Full of buggs AND BACKDOORS .. so basically - privacy - is not a word in microsoft/apple's dictionaries .. NEVER BEEN .. ;/


peace yo

Thanks for that ED!!

I've had windows 7 running on my computer for over 2 years and never once have gotten a "blue screen" yet.

did the voice sound Indian?

I don't know much about computers but I think he can press F9 during start up? Or something like that should take him to a recovery screen?

I know it's F something, but not sure which number.

OK, it's F8. Here are the instructions.

[link to answers.microsoft.com]

I would only do this if the computer is frozen up. Is his locked up?

If it was just a scam phone call, then maybe no virus was really on his computer in the first place.

Anyone still dumb enough to use Windowz deserves whatever they get. If virus scammers can so easily do this to millions of machines, what to you think the NSA and the Chinese Gov't can get onto your non-secure, joke of a turd OS that you don't even know is there?

LINUX IS THE ONLY ANSWER, PERIOD.

Jesus!

People are still unsure of whether someone asking you for money for no reason is a con?!!?


We're such a sad, stupid, immature, fucking bonkers species!

What happened to logic?!

Can't disagree with anyone's comments. Fox Mulder had it right, imo, 'trust no-one'!


He's cancelled the transaction and now debating the future of his machine.

Linux, I'm afraid is a stretch for him, he can't even get on glp. Can't do much from here, 1500 miles away..

Thanks again for all your input.

They just had this on the news again about the cons behind this. It isn't legit, but a way to put malware on it.

Scammers will contact people online also pretending to be Microsoft. Microsoft doesn't do that.

Again, thanks. This just keeps getting better and better, or worse and worse, depending on your point of view. The guy on the other end end of the phone convinced him he needs a paypal account, so get this , they opened one 'for him' and put their own password in. I know I've done some batshit crazy things in the past but..

OMG........contact Paypal fraud department ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!

What happened ? O_O

I have seen this problem in my town of Smithers BC Can a few times now. Same story they tell you to go to a certain folder on your computer and they ask if there are files in that folder, you say yes cause its a prefetch folder and then they say that your infected and they are here to help. They try and get you to install thier remote software. Once they get everything setup they can have remote access.

Its even made our local paper to notify people about this scam. Their going through the phone book...

I have noticed now for sometime the story is changing on what they do, I see that they are trying to get you to establish a paypal to pay them, before it was fill out a form on a website with credit card info.

The companie tries to get you to purchase their software for 150 dollars and they state that they are a sub company or partner company of Microsoft.

Best bet if they call you, they will tell you your computer is reporting viruses, Have fun with them its on their clock. Waste time, tell them you have to get the door then bugger off for 5 minutes with them on hold, play dumb, confuse your computers keyboard and mouse up, tell them your not good with computers. Tell them fake windows apear and warnings come up when really they dont, really play it out! Then to finish it off, tell them you have a Mac...



Have fun with it people!

Last Edited by McMiller on 11/09/2012 11:16 AM

Or FreeBSD. Everyone seems to forget that one :)

Its a scam

Its been known about here in the UK doing the rounds for a few year now

Right. We've been in touch with paypal security and the account's been closed. Cards cancelled, etc.

Many thanks everyone.


Hopefully it's wasted a lot of the fecking scammers time as well..

Glad you shared this. That call was a scam. Be informed that it's a prevalent scam these days and that Microsoft would never call anybody about security of their computers.

If your friend still has the scammer's phone number, I strongly suggest you report that to [link to www.callercenter.com] and the FTC in an attempt to shut the scam down.