Does Microsoft call you? 10

[harebrain]

Yesterday, a guy claiming to be from Microsoft called me on my cell phone. (He had an Indian accent, so that's plausible.) He said that there was a virus on my laptop (I have 3 laptops) and he wanted to walk me through fixing it. I told him I was at work and couldn't get to "my laptop," so he said he'd call back later. That hasn't happened yet. The number he called from was "unavailable," so I can't do a reverse number lookup.

I have had Explorer crash on me recently and I've gone ahead and sent the post-mortem dumps to Microsoft, so this all seems within the realm of possibility. However, I'm still skeptical. Does anybody know whether Microsoft will really try to help an individual user in this manner? If not, what's the scam?

 

[edfair]

Nope, Microsoft doesn't call me. I have received several from India suggesting that they were from Microsoft but playing a game with them eventually showed that it was social engineering in an attempt to get control of my computer. You can confirm via a google search.

Some that have handed over control have suffered serious losses.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[ANFPS26]

I got the same scam twice. The second one I got I decided to have a little fun with the poor Indian call center employee. He finally realized I was on to him and cursed me out. LOL
This is an old scam that has been around for years. If you fall for it and pay them to "clean" your computer you will have $99 (if you are lucky it's only $99)charged to you credit card after you give him the number.

Jim

 

[harebrain]

Thanks, guys! Just another case of "If it sounds to good to be true...

 

[MarkSweetland]

I got my first computer scam call a few weeks ago, and I kept the guy going for fifteen minute or so. But here's the scenario:

Me: Hello
Guy: We're seeing that your computer is sending numerous error messages and we think your computer is infected.. We can help you.
Me: Ok.
Guy: (many words) hold the Windows key and the 'R' key (brings up the Command Prompt window).
Me: Ok.
Guy: Type eventvwr (many words) and hit return (loads the Windows Event Viewer). See all the entries in the application log.... (these are always present, I played along) this is why we called.
Me: Wow (incredulously). Look at all the stuff there.
Guy: We can help you. Ok. Hold down the Windows Key and 'R' key again, and type "

http://www.ammyy.com"

and hit enter.
Me: ok.
Guy: What is on your screen?
Me. A window opened up and closed (it didn't, I just told him so).
Guy: You're connected to the internet now, correct?
Me: Oh no, I don't have internet. I just use the computer to play games.
Guy: Uhhhhhh. (click)

What this site does is install remote access software on your computer and I assume the guy was going to 'Help' me give him total access to 'fix' my computer.

Wish I had my Linux box opened with Windows XP Pro running in a Virtual Machine when he called...would have been fun.




Mark

"You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle."
- Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach

 

[kjv1611]

Thanks for sharing, Mark, that gave me a good chuckle today for sure! [ROFL2]

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[SamBones]

I believe the NSA is more likely to call you about what's on your computer than Microsoft.

 

[rclarke250]

My phone call went a little different, I was called on my cell, as I was on my way to fix a computer. Caller said he was from Microsoft, and that he could help me with many errors on my computer. I asked him how they got my information, and he said when I registered my computer they had all of my info. So I asked him what MAC address was he calling about. He seemed stumped by this question, so I told him, well, I have several computers, and to be sure we are talking about the correct one, could he provide me with the MAC address so I could get to the right machine, he said he didn't have that information, I asked how he could have my cell phone number provided by my employer, IBM, but not my MAC address of the so called computer that was at fault. (click) This was last summer.

 

[guitarzan]

In the past few months, I have received two of these calls and several of my clients also... One actually fell for the scam, realized it was a scam when the caller insisted on a credit card, and ended up with malware installed that locked their computer, and the scammer was nice enough to delete all their pictures and empty the recycle bin (I recovered everything with basic undelete software).

When I got my next scam call, I played along for a few minutes ("ohh my... really??? i have a VIRUS??? is it... BAD????), then gave them a brief but very thorough lesson in English curses and insults. I think I may have made up some new curses along the way, I don't know, I was pretty angry. I know it didn't help, but kind of made me feel good

This must be huge business for these losers, as reports of these calls seem to be increasing rapidly.

 

[Noway2]

I think I would play along for a few minutes and then switch tactics, something along the lines of asking them if they are naked and go downhill from there.

 

[SkipVought]

I used to play telemarketers, by saying that I'd be glad to listen to what they had to say, if they would agree to paying my listening fee. Then I asked for a credit card number that I could validate to begin the listening session. And it goes downhill from there.

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my old subtlety...
for a NUANCE![/sub]

 

[goombawaho]

What are you wearing right now?" - The dark side of Tek-Tips comes out.

I thought our little wild time had just begun.

 

[kjv1611]

What usually shows on the caller ID with this sort of call? "Unknown" or some like variant? I've not answered any calls where I didn't recognize the number for quite some time unless I was expecting one. I may have to change my tune, though, so that I can have some free entertainment.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57

 

[Sympology]

Oh you amateurs

I had one a while ago....cut down massively, went on for a bout 15 - 20 minutes

Them: Hello...microsoft...you have a virus...
me: Oh dear, is it bad...
T: Yes but we can fix...can you press the windows key.
M: My key for the windows?
T: yes
M: Ok...now what?
T: Can you xyz...
M: on the key?
T: On the keyboard?
W.you said to get the key for my windows?
T: On the computer????
M: Oh silly me...I'm a little old so you have to five me, I get easily confused (talk about a bait trap).
It went from, not turning on computer, to lifting the mouse in the air (move the mouse over the screen), left handed mice buttons etc etc etc...

It was so much fun..



Robert Wilensky:
We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.

http://alvechurchlounge.org.uk

 

[sggaunt]

Hee Hee I had a go symp

Them: hello sir we know that your computer has been down loading bad files, we can help you clean them up.
Me: Oh dear that sounds bad how can you help me.
T: Yes sir can you see the Key on the left of your key board with the windows logo.
M: Oh Left, now which is left and which is right. Oh wait a minute I think I can see it yes.
T: Ok sir can you hold that down and press the R key.
M: Oh Yes I am doing that now. (I wasn't of course)
T: Can you tell me what can you see on the screen
M: Oh my I can see a nice picture of Gnarls Barkley (this was true just been watching a video).
T: Who?
M: You know Gnarls Barkley aka Ceo Green.
T: Sir you are a fool (I think that's what he said)
M: Hes an R&B singer you know.
T: Something else about a fool
M: Sorry are you calling me a fool?
At this point the line went dead. Obviously not a fan of R&B






Steve: N.M.N.F.
If something is popular, it must be wrong: Mark Twain
That's just perfectly normal Paranoia everyone in the universe has that: Slartibartfast

 

[jlockley]

I get a lot of calls "on the printer". When I am tired of asking , but deary, don't they give you a chair?" etc, I have always found the "Are you saved" approach amusing:

A little Elmer Gantry, interrupting them whenever they star a sentence, a little hellfire and brimstone, and they don't call back.