Microsoft Windows Technical Support Telephone Scams

Received via email: "Recd email stating they were MICROSOFT SECURITY alert and to call 8008681782. Man who answered had heavy accent. Hung up as I knew it was fake. Recd call back immediately (same voice) from 8668637942 asking if I called w/computer problem. Said no...wrong #. He didn't want to hang up. I called MICROSOFT SECURITY & THEY SAID IT HAS A SCAMMER."

Received via email:
"I just received a call from a "certified windows technician" who informed me that there is a problem with my computer. These people won't stop calling me. I have already been scammed by them once, shortly after I got my first computer and before I knew better. Every time they call me I tell them to stop calling me and that I know it is a scam, that I have already been scammed - lost money, had my computer crashed by them and then had to spend more money to get my computer up and running again, and scrubbed clean. The man was foreign sounding ( every time they have called me it is a foreigner) and the number is 215-485-6225. I believe every time one of these people call they are using a different phone number. I just want them to leave me alone. Also a few days ago I had an alarming noise on my computer and a big blue warning screen popped up telling me that my computer had been compromised and to call the number listed immediately. I believe this was identified as "Windows" or "Microsoft" in the message. I was instructed not to X out of the screen, shut down or restart my computer. I DID exit the screen and I DID shut down my computer and restart it. I also ran a security scan through McAffey and that showed no problems detected. I am weary of this harassment."

Received the following from an anonymous user:
"I made a stupid mistake and called a number on my computer as I thought it was Microsoft Support. The gentlemen told me he was Microsoft Support, so, I gave him access to my computer via ShareMyPC. I don't know if he downloaded any information from my computer, but, he definitely ran some "tests" to diagnose what he thought was wrong and told me all typed up all of the following:
(Please Note - I am concerned as he had access to my computer and made me feel like I had some real bad viruses that I needed to get taken care of...I have since changed all of my passwords and want to ensure that I am safe from this fraudulent type of behavior)
LIVE PC FIX
Name:- Paddy Singh
Toll free Number:- 1-888-574-2575
Extension Number:- 2330
Employee ID:- A1376
24*7 Technical Support
Level 4 certified technician 45-60 minutes Security department"
He told me his email was paddy@microsoft certifiedtechnician.com.

Received the following from Micheal: "I just got a call the other day from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Windows. I have been scammed before and so I was on my guard and did not do what they asked me to. The call came up on my Comcast caller ID from Seatle, WA and I asked the person who could barely speak english where he was calling from and he said NY. He aggressively told me to click on my windows icon and would not let me speak until I started yelling at him. He claimed I had something wrong with my windows and I was getting viruses. I sternly told him I wasn't doing anything and to never call me again." I have ignored all other calls from this number but finally decided to answer the other day and stop this number from calling me. So this threat is very real. Thank you for posting this and confirming my suspicion.

I received a call from someone who could barely speak English claiming they were calling from windows and said they were calling because I was getting viruses on my computer. He wouldn't let me speak and forcefully told me to click on the windows icon. I sternly told him I wasn't doing anything and to never call me again. He abruptly hung up on me. I had been scammed before and I doubted that windows would call anyone. But he had my phone number, name and address, which anyone call look up on the internet. Never let anyone get access to your computer.

This happened to me. It all seemed very legitimate. The caller was polite and very convincing. I paid 239.00 dollars to have my computer problems "fixed". My computer did run better after the "work" was done and they even called me back to make sure I was satisfied.
Seven months later I got a call from TEQUFLY PC CYBER specialists saying they were going out of business and wanted to refund my money. This involved getting access to my bank account so they could deposit the money in my account. They said since it was coming from an international account the minimum deposit was 1500 dollars and I would have to send them the difference. When I refused, the man became very terroristic and threatening. I still refused and he said he would crash my computer ( which he did).
I ended up paying a local computer specialist to wipe my computer clean, changed all my passwords, notified my bank, etc and lost lots of sleep over the whole ordeal. It was a nightmare...

Received the following from an anonymous user via email: "I had a call from someone purporting to be in the UK. He had a heavy Indian-Sub-Continent accent and when the call came in the screen showed ‘INTERNATIONAL’. When I said his number was INTERNATIONAL he said it wasn’t – he was in London so I asked what his number was and he said it was 02088547621. He was overbearing and rude and I felt quite intimidated initially so I put the telephone receiver down. He called me back and asked why I had cancelled the call since he told me my PC had errors and he was from Microsoft. I cancelled the call again. He called a third time and suggested if I did not want his help he would disconnect me from the internet and I should get a pen and paper as he was going to give me a termination ID number. He told me he was not here to convince me but just to help me I told him to stop calling me. He then told me my computer would be disconnected from the main server I would be blacklisted from the Microsoft program. My response was, “so now you’re threatening me are you?” and he responded with, “No I am not threatening you but your computer will be disconnected from the main server in half an hour”. I put the receiver down. Your computer contacted me because it is in critical condition – it reported to the main windows server. He called back again (4th time) and was very apologetic and asked why I was cancelling the calls and I told him I didn't trust him - he asked why and I told him I was not comfortable with the conversation nor with him nor with the issue he suggested he could fix. He told me he was from Microsoft and advised me to open the RUN screen and type something that provided me with a list of 1778 errors on my laptop. This seemed quite credible since my laptop had seemed a little slower than it had previously and when he said he was from Microsoft (again) he sounded plausible but I again said I didn't trust him and he became very angry and said he would terminate my internet connection. I told him not to threaten me and he calmed down somewhat. He then offered to pass me to the 'technical expert' who would help me solve my software problems. The 'technical expert' came on the telephone line and told me to go to the RUN box and type www.showmypc.com /ShowMyPC3161.exe When I asked why he was asking me to install an ‘exe’ file he became very cagey. I asked him who he represented and he said Microsoft. – that is why they knew I had problems with my PC because their server was getting error messages from my PC. I put the phone down again since this insistence they were from Microsoft was beginning to wear thin. The calls stopped."

I have gotten several calls from someone saying they are from Microsoft Tech Support. The number they called from was 1-888-924-8191. I believe the call is fraudulent.

The call is fraudulent. Microsoft Tech Support will never call you.