Those calls are ALWAYS fakes, no matter what they say, AND none are actually from Microsoft; Microsoft would never cold-call one of their users: they don't even know who they are.
No matter what these people say about your computer, whether they claim they are from Microsoft or not, they are scamsters.
[BTW, if you have a Mac, they'll switch in mid-scam, and claim your Mac is infected and want to access it instead.]
Please pass this information along, especially to your friends and family who may be naive enough to fall for this scam.
Boy did the Indian sounding guy on the phone get mad when I pointed out he couldn’t even ID my URL (that was supposedly causing them some sort of network problem) and that he was ridiculous.
They do not react to scorn well, for some reason...
I got one recently. The Indian accent gave him away. He said his name is Max. I said, “Oh you’re full of sh%t Max!” and hung up.
Yup- just had one hte other day- We have caller id and can tell who’s calling- so we don’t even answer-
Folks- Microsoft will NEVER call you over the phone- that is not how they do business- they put out an official statement telling us they do not do this- so if you hear “We’re from Microsoft- just hang up
I tell them I don't understand computers very well, my son used to help me with them, my eye sight isn't what it used to be, etc.
Pretty soon they'll start getting excited, convinced they've got a winner on the line.
you all gotta see this video of a man supposedly ownign a telemarketer- even if it’s fake, it’s very very funny- asnd owudl be funny to say to a telemarketer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DJNbD8mvL4
Scare the shit out of them and tell them you are with the FBI.
The strangest scam is the offer for free home security systems. Why THE HECK would anyone let a stranger on the phone know if they didn't have home security?
And yeah, you're right, Cat, about these calls. They prey on the uniformed, and they ALWAYS do damage to your computer. But some people must be falling for it, because the calls keep on coming.
Got 1 of these the other day claiming to be IRS, the new angle is now the voice is computer generated and is almost not recognizable that it isn’t a real person. Many are probably being fooled by this, the automation is even intelligent enough answer questions.
I get these calls occasionally, and as soon as I hear that Indian or Pakistani accent, I go into a fake rage, yelling “are you calling about the rat in my Slurpee?!!?”
Usually that gets a silent pause and they say “excuse me?”
Then I say “if you’re not calling to replace my Slurpee, you can just go f—k yourself!” and then I slam the phone down.
:)
I receive those calls weekly. Monday I got one. Yesterday got two. It’s never the same caller ID but it sounds like the same guy. Sometimes I mess with the guy and sometimes I cuss him out and hang up. I don’t know where they got my cell number which is on the do not call list.
No no no... don’t just hag- up
WASTE as much of their time as possible
They get really pissed off when they figure out that YOU have figured them out long ago...and wasted an hour of their time
Tell them how rich you are an dhow much money you just deposited in your bank
pretend to be as helpful as possible - but you just don’t understand computers all that much... make them explain it over and over and over and over until they give up
(but DO NOT EVER install anything they tell you to install - just tell them you did, they can’t see your screen)
Have fun with it and remember- while you are wasting their time, they cannot be scamming someone else, so you are doing a public service
My favorite call from Microsoft was with a heavy Hispanic accent, and in the background I could hear small children screaming as well as the sound of chickens.
I decided to infuriate him by using a strong Hindu accent, and insisting that “It is not you who are being Microsoft, but we who are being Microsoft. And as soon as I finish my roast beef sandwich, I will be sending Microsoft security to your home to give you a very bad titty twister, sirrah.”
He just yelled a bunch of obscenities at me and hung up.
There are some great vids on YT of people trolling the scammers. The ‘IRS’ ones are the best.
Thanks for the post and the warning.
It’s good that Microsoft issued a warning.
I agree — the only way to deal with them is to hang up on them immediately, because, as Microsoft says, they do NOT make unsolicited phone calls. So any caller that claims that, is a scam artist, out to do you harm. Don’t listen to them at all, just hang up.
I just let my Mother inlaw play with them.
She has dementia and some expired cancelled credit cards...she does not even know what year it is, her address, or her SS number, or anything for that matter.
I just listen silently on the line for entertainment.
It goes pretty much like “Lenny”.
She gets the IRS lawsuit calls too.
Me and 7 other friends (all retirees :) ) have formed a league where we have a contest to see who can keep these dumbasses on the phone the longest. My record of 57 minutes and 26 seconds was busted by a buddy last week, where he kept these turds on the line a full Hour and 11 minutes.
Get a very load whistle and have a blow into the phone ,the last guy was Chinese