Microsoft Phone call "your window's laptop is infected" Scam

JamesReeves

So twice in the last few days I've gotten a call from people pertaining to be from Microsoft Technical Support, claiming that they've found viruses on my windows computer.

You can smell the scam a mile away so first time I played along for a few mins then I told yerman that I had a Mac and he got very flustered and the line went dead.

So today again I got a call from a woman with the exact same thing and following the script. I basically told her to F*ck off and she hung up on me.

So how many of the boardsies have had this call?

Seriously how in this day and age can it still be going that people will still fall for something so ridiculous.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I always tell them I don't own a computer. Some hang up straight away, some argue with me that I must own some sort of computer then hang up on me.

What is it they actually want? How does the scam work?

Potential Underachiever

I watched a few good videos about this on Youtube, people who are very clued up in computers taking the scammers along for a ride and going through the whole process of what they're trying to do, I would link it but still not able to post links on here as I'm a newbie.

JamesReeves

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I always tell them I don't own a computer. Some hang up straight away, some argue with me that I must own some sort of computer then hang up on me.

What is it they actually want? How does the scam work?

From what I've read, they get you to run some diagnostics on your computer that shows up errors, which are normal and part of the computer. So obviously some people freak the bean when they see this and want "help" clearing the virus from the computer so they get you to download remote access software so they can log in and help you.

they do that then they download a load of keyloggers, etc... and freeze your computer and try charge you then for their support and get you to sign up to a service costing so much every month.

Also with the key loggers they can see passwords, and bank a/c details.

if you've the time ...

magicbastarder

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

What is it they actually want? How does the scam work?

they want to charge you to fix the computer. a common trick they play is to ask you to bring up the run box and type in 'prefetch viruses'; this opens the prefetch folder which usually has dozens or hundreds of files in it, which are perfectly legit, but they claim that they're all the viruses you have. hence the need to spend money to clean them.

The Backwards Man

Latest one is saying they are from Visa and they want to change the last four digits of your card because of a security breach. Caught an odd less tech savvy one around here, most are well aware of them by now though thankfully.

NachoBusiness

Count your blessings. My computer has just been seized and the Guards on their way apparently.

All I was doing was innocently clicking on a video of a Japanese school girl bukkakee.

Hopefully the PayPal payment of €100 I've sent them will suffice.

Dear God pray for me. I meant no harm.

JamesReeves

NachoBusiness wrote: »

Count your blessings. My computer has just been seized and the Guards on their way apparently.

All I was doing was innocently clicking on a video of a Japanese school girl bukkakee.

Hopefully the PayPal payment of €100 I've sent them will suffice.

Dear God pray for me. I meant no harm.

*Deletes Browsing History*

eamonnq

Haven't had any unsolicited calls in years, but got one of the Microsoft Windows lads the other day, I told him I did not have a computer, he then asked if I had a tablet or laptop etc. I asked him if it was a problem with Windows and he said yes, so I said ahh ok, as I have a lot of windows in my house and he then gave up.

JamesReeves

eamonnq wrote: »

Haven't had any unsolicited calls in years, but got one of the Microsoft Windows lads the other day, I told him I did not have a computer, he then asked if I had a tablet or laptop etc. I asked him if it was a problem with Windows and he said yes, so I said ahh ok, as I have a lot of windows in my house and he then gave up.

friend got the same asked did they have ipads/ipods /tablets in the house

keithclancy

I have a friend who did this and went along with it, he spun up a VM and then set a snapshot

Left your man go wild on it and kept reverting the snapshot .. guy was getting upset because his stupid malware kept disappearing :P

Menas

If you have the time and patience you should try to keep them on the line and waste their time. Stops them potentially getting a less savy victim.
There are some good youtube videos out there where people have kept these guys on the line for hours.

obsidianclock

Two years ago had a call. Kept trying to tell them I use Linux... they tried to argue and tell me I didn't...!

Think there is another thread about this on boards somewhere...

Frigga_92

I got a call last week and this week to our landline.

The woman always starts the conversation by saying "Is this Jack?" Jack is my husband's father, who passed away nearly 4 years ago, so they're obviously operating off some very old information that they obtained from somewhere.
I always tell her to fúck off and hang up.
Hard not to be suspicious when you can hear a load of kids in the background and she asks about my "windows computer".

punisher5112

I feel left out as I never got a call

Got plenty of letters off a prince and so on looking to put millions in my bank account.

Oh and the foreign lottery win of millions.

Few texts also.

Boom_Bap

There is a massive thread over in the Computers & Tech forum with loads of information and time wasting techniques.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055837564

The Backwards Man

Trigger Happy wrote: »

If you have the time and patience you should try to keep them on the line and waste their time. Stops them potentially getting a less savy victim.
There are some good youtube videos out there where people have kept these guys on the line for hours.

They mostly just call you names and hang up if you try that now, their customer service skills are nothing short of woeful.

Menas

The Backwards Man wrote: »

They mostly just call you names and hang up if you try that now, their customer service skills are nothing short of woeful.

I will ask to be put thru to their complaints department if the call me names. :mad:

Mesrine65

I usually answer with, 'entschuldigen sie, aber ich weiß nicht englisch sprechen!'

Akrasia

Trigger Happy wrote: »

If you have the time and patience you should try to keep them on the line and waste their time. Stops them potentially getting a less savy victim.
There are some good youtube videos out there where people have kept these guys on the line for hours.

Oh, can you hold on for a moment, my laptop is upstairs

-leave phone on the counter, check it a few minutes later

If the guy is still on the phone tell them that you're just booting up the laptop and it's a bit slow because it's got all these pop-ups
Pretend the doorbell has rung and tell him you'll be with him in a minute

if after a few minutes he still hasn't hung up, tell him, 'damnit, the battery is about to die, I'd better go and get the charger

If he's still there a few minutes later, tell him you have the charger but the laptop shut down and you need to start it up again

Most of the time they'll have hung up by now, but if you're lucky you'll still have him on the phone after about 20 minutes and then you can really start messing with them. If they ask you what version of windows you have, tell them 'double glazing'

Sterling Archer

A mate of mine had this happen to him, so he just started playing Christmas songs down the line

JamesReeves

Shane_ef wrote: »

A mate of mine had this happen to him, so he just started playing Christmas songs down the line

Meteor kept putting me on hold one day so I got píssed and I said oh hang on a second the pot's boiling over .. and loudspeaker, mute and PLAY!

Muhuhahahahahahaa about 5 mins later I came back and he was still on the line I told him I'd forgotten about the call

biko

Boom_Bap wrote: »

There is a massive thread over in the Computers & Tech forum with loads of information and time wasting techniques.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055837564

Aye, there's also some in AH already as well as other forums
www.google.ie/search?q=microsoft+scam+site:boards.ie

These phone calls are quite prevalent

vienne86

I keep a whistle by the phone for these guys. Burst their ear drums.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

vienne86 wrote: »

I keep a whistle by the phone for these guys. Burst their ear drums.

That does not have any great impact since the change to digital exchanges.