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Unusual phone call from Microsoft???
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Jun 27, 2015 10:06:36   #
bookman Loc: Southeast Michigan
 
We used to get a lot of scam calls before we got on the national do-not-call registry or whatever it's called. I found the best way to deal with them was not to get stressed and yell at them (they probably found that amusing) or not even to just hang up. I would just lay the phone down and walk away. Once they realize they were the only ones on the line and that they were wasting their time, they stopped calling. :thumbup:

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Jun 27, 2015 10:07:59   #
revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson
 
agillot wrote:
this guy is a crook , got involve with him last year , figured that something was wrong when he started to make treats , if i did not let him fix my pc for a fee he would shut it down .it started with a message from MS , that said my pc was infected and infecting other pc s .your next scam is going to be a call from the IRS saying that you owe some back taxes , and if you dont respond within a hour , they will send the police to your house to arrest you .on this one i found where this came from [ red wood city ] and had the phone number , went to the cops , and they had no interest to do anything about it .so in my opinion , both side are guilty .
this guy is a crook , got involve with him last ye... (show quote)


That's a FEDERAL crime. Inform FBI.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:08:59   #
Wahawk Loc: NE IA
 
Indi wrote:
I just received a strange phone call from (Supposedly) a Microsoft rep/agent.
A gentleman with a distinct Indian accent called a little while ago. He told me that my computer was infected with malware and/or viruses and he was calling from MS to help me. He told me to press the Windows key and type something like eventxxx at the prompt. I told him that I was very leery about typing anything in and running any program at someone who purportedly represents Microsoft.
He then told me that he knew my unique ID number and told me to write it down. He the told me to run MSCONFIG from the prompt and type in ASSOC which would match the number he gave me beforehand and prove he was legit. While he was talking to me I looked at the reports from Malwarebytes and Norton and they showed nothing.
I then told him that I very reluctant to do anything he suggested via a "phone call from Microsoft."
I said that unless I received an official email from MS, I wasn't going to run any programs from someone who made a personal call to me.
He said goodbye and hung up.
I then decided to back check the number he called me from and the app said it was an invalid number.
Has anything similar happened to any of you?
What are your thoughts?
I just received a strange phone call from (Suppose... (show quote)


I had a friend that "fell for that one" a couple years ago....... Took me 3 or 4 sessions of 2-4 hours each to get his system back to where it needed to be.....
NEVER accept a phone call from MS or any other company UNLESS you first called them and they said they would have to call you back, in which case you would be given a "ticket" or "job" number to verify with the caller.

You did good by refusing to follow his requests.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:11:31   #
Frank
 
IT IS A CLASSIC SCAM>> If you want to have fun with these clowns do what I did. Say: "I don't have a PC Microsoft Computer. I have an Apple. Then the voice will say that you are being transferred to the Apple Computer Specialist. The line will do silent for about two seconds and the same voice comes back and says he is the Apple Computer Specialist.

This is exactly what I did and this the response I got!! :-)

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Jun 27, 2015 10:13:59   #
RLSeipleSr Loc: North of Boston
 
Is anyone reporting these calls, besides me, on the National Do Not Call web site ... ?

Bob S

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Jun 27, 2015 10:17:36   #
MikeGT
 
It is a scam. Microsoft will never call someone about how there computer is running.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:19:06   #
MtnMan Loc: ID
 
speters wrote:
Don't go for it, that is a scam that's been going around for a very long time!!!!


Yup.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:23:42   #
DebAnn Loc: Toronto
 
I get fairly regular calls from people who say they're from Windows. During the last call, the guy actually started arguing with me when I told him I was well aware of the scam. I wonder how many people actually fall for this kind of stuff.
Indi wrote:
I just received a strange phone call from (Supposedly) a Microsoft rep/agent.
A gentleman with a distinct Indian accent called a little while ago. He told me that my computer was infected with malware and/or viruses and he was calling from MS to help me. He told me to press the Windows key and type something like eventxxx at the prompt. I told him that I was very leery about typing anything in and running any program at someone who purportedly represents Microsoft.
He then told me that he knew my unique ID number and told me to write it down. He the told me to run MSCONFIG from the prompt and type in ASSOC which would match the number he gave me beforehand and prove he was legit. While he was talking to me I looked at the reports from Malwarebytes and Norton and they showed nothing.
I then told him that I very reluctant to do anything he suggested via a "phone call from Microsoft."
I said that unless I received an official email from MS, I wasn't going to run any programs from someone who made a personal call to me.
He said goodbye and hung up.
I then decided to back check the number he called me from and the app said it was an invalid number.
Has anything similar happened to any of you?
What are your thoughts?
I just received a strange phone call from (Suppose... (show quote)

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Jun 27, 2015 10:27:06   #
Toment Loc: FL, IL
 
Wouldn't it be neat if you had a virus you could sneak on to his computer?
He hangs up, and his drive is wiped!
Cool....

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Jun 27, 2015 10:42:17   #
Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.
 
I can't believe the can of worms I opened. Keep them coming. All are interesting and funny.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:46:32   #
JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore
 
Morning Star wrote:
A blow on a scout's whistle might achieve the same thing without damage to the phone mike...


Thanks Morning Star,

Come to think of it, I have a very high pitch whistle fastened to the life preservers on the boat; I may bring one home :D :thumbup:

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Jun 27, 2015 10:47:24   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
MikeGT wrote:
It is a scam. Microsoft will never call someone about how there computer is running.
Actually they do if you have a contract with them and you called them first!!!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

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Jun 27, 2015 10:51:29   #
DragonsLady Loc: Los Alamos, NM
 
Decided with the next call I'm going to tell them that I went back to work and have to work from home. Now the NNSA Cyber Security team monitors everything that goes in or comes out of my computer and phone lines. I'll tell them to look at the area code of my phone number and they'll find out I live close to two national laboratories. Wish me luck, guys.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:58:47   #
Bushymonster Loc: Oklahoma City. OK.
 
Just mess with them until they wished they had never called.

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Jun 27, 2015 10:59:22   #
timothyf7
 
It is a scam. First of all, Microsoft NEVER calls anyone without prior contact! Secondly, if it was like my calls from a couple of years ago, they string you along to show you your error files which all computers have, and then want you to download a communication software so they can fix it. Windows has a communication software built in for their techs to use. The communication software needs a credit card to download but they tell you it is free and you won't be charged. Then you are charged $350-1,000. I strung them along for about 3 days before I finally told them that I had contacted Microsoft and was told they do not do anything like that. I also told them I had contacted the FBI and filed a complaint (which I had). They still tried to argue with me about being from Microsoft. Six months later, they contacted me again and I told them that I knew they were a scam and had already reported them and warned everyone on my social accounts. Also stated that further contact would result in legal action. They haven't called back. About the only thing you can do is let as many people you can about the scam so their rip-off attempt is extinguished.

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