Microsoft Scam?

[jmitservices]

I had a customer ring me yesterday saying that they were contacted by Microsoft and asking them to view the event manager. They were then instructed to look down the lists for critical errors. The person on the phone was very persistent that these errors would cause problems later on.

My customer was then told to download two remote desktop sharing programs where they then took control of their computer overnight and installed Windows 7 Ultimate. They were charged £200 for this service. The customer never recieved any media or COA. Just en e-mail with the product key.

Alarm bells started ringing as soon as they said Microsoft and event manager. I full well know that they never contact anyone and also there was a scam going around a few months ago from indian call centres getting people to open the event viewer etc...

Just wondered if anyone else has heard of this at all? Scam or not?

Thanks,
Jase

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

 

[Hercomputers]

J,

You answered the question yourself - obviously it is a scam-

I've heard about this, haven't experienced it myself accept for one customer calling me saying some strange person called from Microsoft asking to remote in to her computer. She called me on her cell phone to ask what she should do and I told her to just hang up on them.

 

[jmitservices]

I'm pretty 50/50 at the moment as it does actually sounds like they have upgraded the machine etc... but if its all legal is a different matter. I have not seen the machine yet, can't wait to see it lol!

 

[PBComputer]

Its a scam, had several clients who had phones calls, lucky they all checked with me first, before allowing access.

 

[Martyn]

It's a scam, someone contacted me a while ago and i posted about it. I'll look later. I led them on for a while getting me to press keys until i told them I was on a Mac

 

[MobileTechie]

It's all over the UK at the moment. Seems to be some Indian guys.

 

[154Tech]

I told her to just hang up on them.

It's amazing how many people don't realize this is an option. I guess it goes to being raised not to be rude to people. People need to get over that and start hanging up on people. The world actually be a better place if people would just learn to hang up on scammers and time wasters.

I'm pretty 50/50 at the moment as it does actually sounds like they have upgraded the machine etc... but if its all legal is a different matter. I have not seen the machine yet, can't wait to see it lol!

But upgraded to what?? Most likely a pirated version that they paid 200 quid for. And the scam artists could have take the perfectly legal product key the client was using and sold that on to someone else. Next time their windows update happens, they're toast.

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

cor I wish they'd phone me up

 

[MobileTechie]

Why? Do you need a professional tune-up?

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

of course, it's a bargain and no mistake!

 

[joydivision]

I am gaining a lot of business from these clowns because even if they tell them to get lost it reminds them that they have had their computer checked for a whole

 

[Hercomputers]

But upgraded to what?? Most likely a pirated version that they paid 200 quid for. And the scam artists could have take the perfectly legal product key the client was using and sold that on to someone else. Next time their windows update happens, they're toast.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. Doing something over the phone, you're not seeing the individual in person, that does not sit well with me at all. Sadly, some people don't know any better. Let us know how soon the black 'windows need to be activated' screen comes up on that customer's computer-

 

[Xander]

Customers ask me all the time about online shopping safety. I tell them that it's a lot like telemarketers vs. going into the store location. If you deliberately go to (e.g.) Amazon.com you're pretty safe. If someone claiming to be from Amazon contacts you (phone, email, etc), you have know way of absolutely knowing they are who they say they are. And, I put it all in the form of common-sense questions so they can build their own synapses.

 

[Fish]

It seems these clowns are now hitting the phone lists for the west of ireland.
My mother and my boss had calls from them 3 times last week.

The guardian newspaper did an article on it some time back.

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

 

[Corbin]

I wish I lived out there, I love phone calls like those, the best is when you get them talking and you make it sound inappropriate. I wonder if I could get a Irish phone number and forward it to my skype.

I vote Technibble makes a Scam board and we turn it into the things we do to these scammers.

 

[jmitservices]

I actually saw the machine today... it was an old Dell 4600.

The company that called them and did the work was 2gro.com. In the e-mail they stated they have offices in the US and UK. Claimed lifetime tech support, 2 years antivirus and Windows 7 Ultimate. (I could not find any signs of the antivirus software)

The customer also pointed out to me that the Windows 7 was downloaded into the machine via utorrent (alarm bells again!) see attachment!

Jase