WARNING OF SCAM GOING AROUND!!! Just to let everyone know.
madlh100
Posts: 9,893 Forum Member
✭
Just had a call and was on the phone for half an hour.
This bloke I spoke to was very convincing so I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
Said that my computer was virused. That he was calling from Windows Support and that he'd called me due to an error report I sent to windows.
Asked me to get the 'run' window up and type in something which opened an Event Log, then asked me to count all the error messages and exclamations mark. When I told him there was about 50 he sounded really shocked so I definitely thought it was legit.
He told me that he could sort it out completely free.
Asked me to go to this website: http://www.winpctech.net/
It was only then that he told me it would cost me money to get new anti virus software off their company.
I really thought something was up with my computer. I could hardly understand him.
If you get a call like this then it does sound convincing and he did make me believe there was something up with my computer, but it is a con.
This bloke I spoke to was very convincing so I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.
Said that my computer was virused. That he was calling from Windows Support and that he'd called me due to an error report I sent to windows.
Asked me to get the 'run' window up and type in something which opened an Event Log, then asked me to count all the error messages and exclamations mark. When I told him there was about 50 he sounded really shocked so I definitely thought it was legit.
He told me that he could sort it out completely free.
Asked me to go to this website: http://www.winpctech.net/
It was only then that he told me it would cost me money to get new anti virus software off their company.
I really thought something was up with my computer. I could hardly understand him.
If you get a call like this then it does sound convincing and he did make me believe there was something up with my computer, but it is a con.
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Comments
bloody microsoft
grrr
Going by the second comment I've bolded, you obviously didn't send an error report to Windows. Didn't that tip you off? Your normal, domestic PC isn't clever enough to know when it's got a problem and dial 'home' to report it. Still, you're a little bit wiser now than you were, so that can only be a good thing.
Doh!
A friend of mine in Nigeria has a problem you may be able to help with. All we need are your...
Windows automatic error reporting.
My parents have just died but I have no bank account to secure the money they left me.
Please send me your bank details and I will deposit my money in there and also dear Beloved share some of it with you as my parents would want their money safe and sound.
Well, yes, fair point, but that's not going to trigger a phone call from someone from 'Windows Support' claiming they've picked up your report and want to help you fix it.
So while this is certainly a scam, it is wrong to berate people for falling for it on the grounds that it is technically implausible.
I'm sure there is something in the computer section about this.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11754487
Barclays bank once called me claiming they had important information about my account. Before they'd explain they asked for my date of birth. I told them I wouldn't give that out to cold callers but I'd call them back. He said he couldn't give out his information. In the end I asked him what department he worked for. He said 'marketing'. So I told him that I didn't think that anything any company's marketing department had to say to me could possibly be important and I put the phone down
Oh wow how much are we talking about?
My account details are
59-56-69
224678987
Can't wait t hear from you again
I give them about 5 minutes of my time to listen to whatever BS they want to fill me with before telling them politely that I don't want their help.
Of course its a scam, I'm sure some non computer literate people could fall for it. Even though the OP is a WUM the warning is fair as this is a real scam. I dont know what their software does (i.e. if it's malicious software or whether they are just trying to get people into buying their real software using less than noble methods). Either way, they should be ignored.
Some experiences that people have had with calls from the phone number mentioned on the Winpc website (01414163986):
http://www.shenganda365.com/PhoneInfo/01414163986/1.html
It looks like a Glasgow number but it probably isn't.