Scam calls purporting to be from Microsoft

[olive]

Had one yesterday and another today. Usual thing. Go straight into an English language spiel regardless of how you answer . "Are you having problems with your computer" (well that is a yes from 90% of all users I suspect ). Previous years when we have had them I would have put them as a call centre from Indian sub continent.

Let us sort it out remotely. No thanks. The second you go negative on answers they hang up and no doubt try someone else.

What is interesting is the number displayed is a Spanish one. I think 951 xxxxxx. not witheld. maybe they call a Spanish number and that forwards somehow to the punter

Anyone else getting them? I wonder if it is from a list of expats maybe from a competition you entered and the list has been sold on. Maybe it would help to post the calling ID on here. I dare say they hope expats wouldn't pass the info on to the Guardia Civil.

[katy]

I get them, about 3 times a week and then none for a while. Mine left a number too. A Cardiff one but it's not, it comes from India. DON'T CALL BACK. According to a website you can be immediately diverted to a premium line. I googled my caller number and found this out, amongst other things. I think our was sold on by one of the BT call centres, of course they deny it.

Mine alternate between Saying it's Microsoft or a problem with BT broadband. Probably expanded to other countries now.

[chrissiehope]

Here in UK, I've had 3 calls from 'TalkTalk' (the genuine one is my IP) in the past week or so - 2 on consecutive days. Each time they have asked either for my hubby (died 2 years ago) or Mrs Hubby. The first one I hung up, the second I kept telling him I knew it was a scam but he kept going - I asked for his name so I could 'check ' with TT - in his very strong Indian accent he said it was 'Jack Smith' - I just roared with laughter & hung up. I called TT who aid I should report it to ActionFraud.com which I duly did. They asked me quite a lot of questions like "what did they want you to do?" and "did they leave their calling number on 1471?" - they hadn't.

So when I got another one the following day (yesterday), I played along to get more info for ActionFraud. What 'Alex' ( ) wanted me to do "so he could help me with the corrupted computer & router" was press the Windows key (bottom left of keyboard) and at the same time press the 'R' key. When I asked him what that would do, he was evasive & when I said I wasn't pressing anything unless I knew what it did, he hung up.
I duly reported it all to AF, who were very relieved I hadn't pressed windows +R - apparently this could give the scammers remote access to my computer, which I had suspected might be the case & therefore why I hadn't done it.

I must admit I wouldn't have thought it was that easy to gain remote access to a PC - maybe together with a scammers PC kit it is possible - anyone know ?

[biribiri]

Pressing the Windows key + R just brings up the "Run" screen. It is completely harmless to bring up "Run,"
But if you had continued to follow all the steps this guy was about to give you, your privacy may have been harmed. He probably would have asked that you typed in certain file addresses once the "run" prompt appeared.

[chrissiehope]

Ah, thanks - the guyat ActionFraud sounded so relieved I thought it must have been worse, tho' as you say the scammer would have then gone on to get me to do more damaging things...

[olive]

Just had the fourth call in a week. "Steve Smith" this time. Calling from London on behalf of Microsoft.

Interesting thing was the number displayed was 7 zeroes.

[BENIDORM]

I've also had 3 'Microsoft' callers this week all with Indian accents and funnily all called Mark...!!!
The last one I asked what was the weather like today in India and he cut me off immediately...
They always seem to call at inconvenient times,
1st time I was in the loo.
2nd time up a ladder painting.
3rd time I was just about to feed my 3 dogs, had to dump the 3 dishes down, when I got back number 1 dog had eaten all three meals..!
I'm not answering the phone again this week......
Regards,
Gordon...

[markwilding]

I've also had 3 'Microsoft' callers this week all with Indian accents and funnily all called Mark...!!!
...

[olive]

Same guy just rang back. Same 7 zero caller display.

I answered in Spanish and he just hung up.

[BENIDORM]

[quote="markwilding"][quote="BENIDORM"]I've also had 3 'Microsoft' callers this week all with Indian accents and funnily all called Mark...!!!
...[/quote]
[/quote]

Yes, I did suspect that it was you Mark....

[Gasman]

We have had a strange couple of calls, each showing the number - listed as in or near Barcelona - which we did not answer. This is on a brand new phone that no-one knows the number of as yet ... except Vodafone.es! Looking up on Google established that they are duff callers purporting to be from the Caixa bank - with which we have no relations at all .. After several days of them trying and us not answering, they seem to have given up ...
Dodgy!
Gasman and Mrs Gasman

[spanish_lad]

a few years ago a neibor (no names .... ) ... answered a call.. and gave them everything that they asked for. credit card details...bank stuff..

she called me and asked me about it afterwards, and unfortunatly they had cleared out her bank account entirely

[El Cid]

Simple solution - tell them that you have an Apple iMac.

Sid

[rafiki]

Simple solution - tell them that you have an Apple iMac.

Sid

One or two who I tried that on were undeterred and continued the spiel saying that's OK they can still help. I have been getting up to three calls a day over the past week or so.

[katy]

My nuisance calls started mildly a couple of years ago with the have you been mis-sold a pension. I think the phone details must be sold on. The next ones were we have noticed a problem on your bank account (many in the UK have had thousands stolen through this one). Still get these sometimes but most are now claiming to be from Microsoft. I either string them along a bit or abuse them if annoyed when disturbed. As Benidorm says, ringing at inconvenient times. My friend was in once when I called the caller scum of the earth etc. She said that I shouldn't be nasty to them as they are just kids in call centres yeah kids who want to clear my bank account A school in Sussex lost over 35,000 because the admin accounts worker fell for the scam.

Last week I booked a surprise short holiday for OHs birthday. Was online about 10pm booked flight and 2 mins after booked hotel. Both transactions went through and I received email confirmations. Half hour later OH answered a call and said it was an automated claiming to be from bank and he had told them to b off. later I got another email from Booking.com asking me to reconfirm my credit card details. Penny dropped, the bank call was genuine! Called them and was not asked for any details but given options such as choose from 3 birth dates etc. Ended by asking me to confirm my last two transactions. Then said my card had been reactivated. I think it was because I had recently received a new card and it was the first time I had used it.

[El Cid]

Simple solution - tell them that you have an Apple iMac.

Sid

One or two who I tried that on were undeterred and continued the spiel saying that's OK they can still help. I have been getting up to three calls a day over the past week or so.

If all else fails, I suppose you could just tell them you haven't got a computer! Sadly, even that won't stop the next one calling.

Sid

[wollie]

I used to get loads of these a few years ago, because I have loads of time and like a bit of fun I keep them on the phone for half an hour telling them I was doing everything they asked. they get really annoyed when the system not working and I would answer by saying they were the experts and they should explain to me what was happening.
One guy with broken English was on the phone one day for about 20 mins telling me what to do with my computer, I told him I had not got computer, I had hardly finished the sentence he was gone...

the calls suddenly stopped..

[katy]

Simple solution - tell them that you have an Apple iMac.

Sid

One or two who I tried that on were undeterred and continued the spiel saying that's OK they can still help. I have been getting up to three calls a day over the past week or so.

If all else fails, I suppose you could just tell them you haven't got a computer! Sadly, even that won't stop the next one calling.

Sid

Yes, there is always another. Mine alternate with claiming to be from BT. Seems the banks are mostly recompensing people but that is open to fraud too. Anyone could claim they have had their bank accounts emptied if they set up an anonymous account offshore.

[olive]

Had yet another this morning. Must be a very short list their call centre is working from.

We are now trying to answer in a different language each time. Good game , well sort of.