Beware tech support posing as Microsoft

multiweb (Marc) · #1 24-05-2011, 12:38 PM

Had the funniest call today. On my home line, not business so they're preying on unsuspecting mums & dads. Young bloke, bad English, Indian voice presenting himself as 'Security Dpt from Microsoft' , lots of noise in the background, like a call center. Asks a few questions, trolling around. I had some time (during lunch break) so I got along and fed him some BS sounding like I'm real worried and don't know what to do see where that's going. Because he is telling me in broken english that someone has downloaded my 'Microsoft junk folder'

... to cut a long story short he asks me to go at my computer and type:

http:// l..o..g..m..e..i..n.. and here comes the number...

So I just said well no I'm not going to do that. I'm in the industry and I've got your call traced... *cut* busy tone...

I can understand how a lot of people get worried and get scammed by those operators.

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #2 24-05-2011, 12:53 PM

Should have strung him along further saying you typed that in. Then get him frustrated about not being able to connect to your computer.

iceman (Mike) · #3 24-05-2011, 12:55 PM

They have a very big operation doing these calls.

I'm continually surprised by how many times I've heard that people have been called. My wife even got a call.

danielsun · #4 24-05-2011, 12:56 PM

Good on you Marc and Well done!

Hopefully that scum may have got a bit of a scare and be a little worried or at least for a little while.
Two days ago I got the old phising scam email that is doing the rounds with supposedly Telstra telling me that if I don't update my profile online my account will be suspended. Rang Telstra and they said yes, that a number of people rang inquiring about the email and yes it is a scam.

multiweb (Marc) · #5 24-05-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

Should have strung him along further saying you typed that in. Then get him frustrated about not being able to connect to your computer.

Actually he got quite frustrated when I kept on asking him what he wanted me to type and made him spell it out a few times. He then started to loose his cool.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceman

They have a very big operation doing these calls.

I'm continually surprised by how many times I've heard that people have been called. My wife even got a call.

My feeling too. They are very well organised and I suspect they would get a lot of bites every day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielsun

Good on you Marc and Well done!

Hopefully that scum may have got a bit of a scare and be a little worried or at least for a little while.
Two days ago I got the old phising scam email that is doing the rounds with supposedly Telstra telling me that if I don't update my profile online my account will be suspended. Rang Telstra and they said yes, that a number of people rang inquiring about the email and yes it is a scam.

I had to renew my business trademark 2 months ago. It's like $300 for 10 years or so. I got a late notice for payment from a mob in Melbourne for $1.5k. I have to admit I hesitated because it was quite expensive and that's what made me check and realised I had already paid for it. But if it had been in the vicinity of $300.00 I might have paid it again.

Anyway I rang that mob and they were fake but unfortunately legal. When I checked back with IP Australia (my trademark provider) to report them they said it was legit and nothing they can do about it.

In the same vein with mobs sending you bills to renew your domain name and they're not even your original registrar. I reckon 100s of people pay the bills and don't question them.

iceman (Mike) · #6 24-05-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

In the same vein with mobs sending you bills to renew your domain name and they're not even your original registrar. I reckon 100s of people pay the bills and don't question them.

Yeh this happens all the time too I bet.

When I did a website for Gosford Netball, they got a bill for domain registration from a mob that it wasn't even registered through.

If they didn't check with me first, they would definitely have just gone and paid it.

There's certainly some unsavoury types around.

The_bluester (Paul) · #7 24-05-2011, 01:17 PM

We had the "Microsoft" call a few weeks back at dinner time. We live on a property with my mother and it was her number they called on. She has a pair of cochlear implants and uses the speakerphone as it is easier (And her phone is in the lounge room, which she uses as an office of sorts)

Needless to say that we all heard it and he was treated to the sound of hysterical laughter before being told to P off.

They must be making heaps of calls, another forum I frequent has the "I got called by Microsoft, is it a scam" thread about twice a week and has done for months. They must be sucking a fair number of people in or they would not be doing it.

h0ughy (David) · #8 24-05-2011, 01:23 PM

yes have had 3 of those calls - one to my Mother in laws - she has no pc.

i strung them along too and then said i have your IP addy thanks for waiting while i traced it. LOL phone went dead real quick

casstony · #9 24-05-2011, 01:24 PM

I've had a couple of calls regarding my computer but they only last 5 to 10 seconds since I'm in the habit of rejecting all phone solicitations.

Terry B · #10 24-05-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielsun

Good on you Marc and Well done!

Hopefully that scum may have got a bit of a scare and be a little worried or at least for a little while.
Two days ago I got the old phising scam email that is doing the rounds with supposedly Telstra telling me that if I don't update my profile online my account will be suspended. Rang Telstra and they said yes, that a number of people rang inquiring about the email and yes it is a scam.

I have had lots of these emails recently supposedly from Telstra- almost 1/day.
Interestingly they only started recently after I have updated my phone from 1 telstra phone to another one.

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #11 24-05-2011, 02:13 PM

I posted on this a few months back.
I almost got fooled by the same bunch.
I'd phoned Redmond the day before and (as I was working for one of their largest clients) they said they'd get back to me within 24 hrs!!!!
It took me almost 30 seconds to realise that what they were asking had nothing to do with my request.
They're a pretty slick bunch, but the important thing to bear in mind is, unless you are a million-dollar client Microsoft is not going to call you!

mithrandir (Andrew) · #12 24-05-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waxing_Gibbous

They're a pretty slick bunch, but the important thing to bear in mind is, unless you are a million-dollar client Microsoft is not going to call you!

You've only got to have the right service contract. They have SLAs to meet just like the rest of us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Had the funniest call today. On my home line, not business so they're preying on unsuspecting mums & dads. Young bloke, bad English, Indian voice presenting himself as 'Security Dpt from Microsoft' ...

Microsoft only has an "Insecurity Department" - the whole company.

Barrykgerdes · #13 24-05-2011, 04:40 PM

I have had three calls from "microsoft" The first couple I strung along and then told them They didn't know what they were talking about as I was a Computer specialist.

The last one I strung along for a while and then told him I had been getting him to talk for a while because the FBI was getting his voice print on their recorders with the view to identifying him. He hung up quick and I have had none since.

Barry

hotspur (Chris) · #14 24-05-2011, 06:24 PM

There was a piece in the local news paper here fairly recently (Kingaroy/South Burrnett area).Warning readers of the very same type of callers Mark mentions.

We got two in the last week or two,the first one told me he was calling me back about my 'windows 7 problem',I knew straight away it was a con.and fobbed him off.

They really seem to be calling all over the country!.Apparently there is also another phone scam going around at present,people call you and say they are from Australian Tax Department and ask for your ABN,TFN etc so beware of those ones too.

Barry-Great one!!

I love the voice print idea,and then say your from the FBI.what a hoot-that would get them packing

Allan_L (Allan) · #15 24-05-2011, 06:26 PM

I get so many of these Microsoft Calls.
I just tell them there must be some mistake as we do not own a computer.
but they keep ringing back.
I think I will try the above suggested "your call is being traced" line from now on.

But they must be getting the info from somewhere.
They seem to know too much detail, more than is in the phone listings.
Hmm! .. the last bunch started the day after I bought a new HP notebook from JB. Perhaps my mistake was registering with HP.

FlashDrive (Poppy) · #16 24-05-2011, 06:51 PM

I would probably do 1 of 2 things ... depending on how I felt at the time.

1: Tell him I running a MAC ...so your wasting your time and hang up .
or

2: No worries ... if you don't mind waiting ... my system is a 486dx2 running 16mb EDO Ram, 250mb Hard Drive, 2mb onboard video... but wait for it ....running Windows 7 Ultimate and it will take all morning just to boot to the desktop. .

beep... beep ...beep ... just booting ... won't be long now

Flash.....

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #17 24-05-2011, 09:11 PM

I am beginning to feel left out and unloved. I have never had one of these scammers target me

I cant wait to have a go at stringing them along. I want to see how long they will persist before giving up on me

Can someone give me their phone number so I can ring them

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #18 25-05-2011, 10:06 AM

We got one a couple of weeks ago. I strung her along for a while, played a bit dumb.

Yeah, I'm in front of it now (I was actually standing in the hallway)
What did you want me to do?
Right click on what?
I have found my computer.
Just a second....
What did you want me to do....
Hang on my computer has gone really funny, the screen has gone purple with yellow dots...
burp, burp, burp....she hung up, damn it! Well I never...

Actually I should have put it near the smoke detector and pressed the test button.

Allan_L (Allan) · #19 25-05-2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

I am beginning to feel left out ... Can someone give me their phone number so I can ring them

thats great !

telemarker (Keith) · #20 28-05-2011, 10:35 AM

Ooh, had my first one of these yesterday. Strung him along saying how worried I was, how could this could happen and what was I to do. No doubt got his prepared spiel then I asked what was affected and how he could tell. More spiel about Windows being infected and reports from the Internet. "That's very strange" says I "because I've got a Mac" and without a word he's gone.