Beware Telephone Scam! "Microsoft" Says Your Computer Has a Virus Beware Telephone Scam! "Microsoft" Says Your Computer Has a Virus - Talk of The Villages Florida

Beware Telephone Scam! "Microsoft" Says Your Computer Has a Virus

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 06-18-2013, 12:32 PM
tpop1's Avatar
tpop1 tpop1 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Clinton, CT Sarasota, FL, The Villages - July 10, 2009
Posts: 694
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default Beware Telephone Scam! "Microsoft" Says Your Computer Has a Virus

A word to the wise for the old PC philospher....

They're at it again! I'm getting call after call.

If you receive a call from anyone purporting to be from Microsoft or authorized by Microsoft, stating that they have a report that you have viruses on your PC and that they need to connect to your PC - Hang up!

If you are concerned about viruses:
  • Call Microsoft Support yourself,
  • Run your virus protections & Malware protection software (you have these, right)?,
  • Bring your PC to a reputable local PC Tech,
  • Find a reputable online tech support company.

The key is that YOU make the contact and that YOU DO NOT respond to anyone contacting you.

These sycophants want to get on your PC, at the least to charge you big dollars for nothing or at the worst to harvest your data!!!

Do not fall for this scam...you could pay dearly!

Please pass this on to those you worry may be hooked in this scam.

A typical experience is detailed at the following link - Beware Telephone Scam! "Microsoft" Says Your Computer Has a Virus
__________________
“Never take a person's dignity: it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you.” -Frank Barron
  #2  
Old 06-18-2013, 01:59 PM
jblum315's Avatar
jblum315 jblum315 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,879
Thanks: 1
Thanked 40 Times in 23 Posts
Default

I don't answer my phone unless I know who it is. That's what caller ID is for.
__________________
. . .there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves, and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil. . .
Ecclesiasites 3:12
  #3  
Old 06-18-2013, 02:04 PM
rubicon rubicon is offline
Email Reported As Spam
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13,694
Thanks: 0
Thanked 14 Times in 12 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jblum315 View Post
I don't answer my phone unless I know who it is. That's what caller ID is for.
Agree that is why I like Comcast. These scammers keep coming back same guys same phone numbers . It begs the question why the NSA can just shut them down
  #4  
Old 06-18-2013, 02:43 PM
tpop1's Avatar
tpop1 tpop1 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Clinton, CT Sarasota, FL, The Villages - July 10, 2009
Posts: 694
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jblum315 View Post
I don't answer my phone unless I know who it is. That's what caller ID is for.
I put this out for warning people who I think may be susceptible to this type of scam. Not everyone needs a warning.
__________________
“Never take a person's dignity: it is worth everything to them, and nothing to you.” -Frank Barron
  #5  
Old 06-18-2013, 04:05 PM
TrudyM's Avatar
TrudyM TrudyM is offline
Gold member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Bought Tamarind Grove, Mercer Island Wa, previously NH,FLA,Hi,CT,CA,GA, Hubby from Hawaii
Posts: 1,085
Thanks: 0
Thanked 8 Times in 2 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tpop1 View Post
I put this out for warning people who I think may be susceptible to this type of scam. Not everyone needs a warning.
Thanks for the warning, people get scammed all the time warnings are good.

Various people I know who work at Microsoft say that if you get a phone call a letter bogus. That emails saying its from Microsoft it is usually not from them either. Some alerts from outlook team come via email but any email asking you to do the remote connect your computer or click link are a big danger.
The email is the one most people fall for. Microsoft has access to your computer unless you have unclicked the update function and will give you a popup that asks you to ok update installs. My husband asked my son if he should respond to such an email and after the roll of the eyes he got a resounding NO, that he should click the update icon on the computer and it would update automatic.
__________________
My opinion is worth what it costs that and $3.75 will get you a cup of coffee
  #6  
Old 06-18-2013, 04:38 PM
mac9 mac9 is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 880
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Talking

I received one of those calls last week. I was told to go to my computer immediately. While trying not to laugh out loud, I said that I was on my way to it. I then sat down for about 5 minutes when the caller finally asked me if I was at my computer. I told him that it was at my friend's house and that I would be there in about 10 minutes. As he hung up, he was yelling at me!
__________________
New Jersey, TV
  #7  
Old 06-24-2013, 03:32 AM
yvonne101 yvonne101 is offline
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Had a call like that, too. Caller claimed I got virus on my computer and my system was about to crash unless he fix it. I said NO and hung up. I knew it was a bluff call. He said he was from Microsoft. But I got a Mac.
  #8  
Old 06-24-2013, 03:35 AM
yvonne101 yvonne101 is offline
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 8
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I reported the call to Report Phone Number to CallerCenter.com and the FTC in an attempt to shut the scam down. I hope that others will report suspicious calls, too.
  #9  
Old 06-24-2013, 05:36 AM
billethkid's Avatar
billethkid billethkid is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 18,534
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4,869 Times in 1,419 Posts
Default

and if one has the time or inclination, just play along.
Act as though you bought in...say you are going to your pc, then as they give direction just act as though you are doing what they say. Then when they do not get a result, insist you are doing exactly as they directed...then ask if the virus is stopping them from fixing it? And play as long as you have the time or they are dumb enough to follow.

btk

PS of course you would be making no inputs to your pc what so ever!!
  #10  
Old 06-24-2013, 06:55 AM
getdul981's Avatar
getdul981 getdul981 is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Roanoke, VA - Pennecamp - St. James
Posts: 1,929
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by billethkid View Post
and if one has the time or inclination, just play along.
Act as though you bought in...say you are going to your pc, then as they give direction just act as though you are doing what they say. Then when they do not get a result, insist you are doing exactly as they directed...then ask if the virus is stopping them from fixing it? And play as long as you have the time or they are dumb enough to follow.

btk

PS of course you would be making no inputs to your pc what so ever!!
That sounds like a good idea to me. Tie them up for however long you possibly can and they can't be scamming someone that might fall prey. I once received a call from someone trying to sell me something and I just let him go on with his spiel and laid the phone down. After about 5 minutes I picked it up and he was gone.
__________________
Greg

A pessimist is an optimist with experience.

"In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress." - John Adams
Closed Thread


You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:05 AM.