Is this a scam?

[mr friendly guy]

I have recently been called twice by a operators who said that windows is reporting to Microsoft that my computer has inadvertently downloaded some viruses or at least some software I most probably don't want. The first time I said there was no problem and hung up. They are however persistent, and another operator with an Indian accent called me again.

Basically accessing my computer =>manage=> event viewer +> windows log, there does appear to be several error messages.

They then tell me how to correct by linking to their website and using remote services which will link me to Microsoft's own server or some stuff like that. My paranoia metre went into overdrive when I saw their website isn't Microsoft's website.

+http://www.urgentechelp.com+

So while I was stalling I googled the site and came up with this gem, and asked him how I knew he was legitimate. After a while I hung up.

My computer seems to be working fine, but I decided to start running the anti spyware, anti malware programs just to be on the safe side.

So was I right in terminating the conversation? Or was I too paranoid?

[Zac Naloen]

It's a scam, your computer doesn't report faults to Microsoft that they then forward to a third party.

There are always errors regarding something or other in the event viewer it means nothing on it's own.

[Stark]

Are you really this stupid? I can't imagine why you'd think Microsoft would cold call customers from India about malware. Secret ninja army or something?

The is EXACTLY how malware works. Click the purple gorilla for me, sir!

[Flagg]

If you have to ask "Is this a scam?" then it's a scam.

[PeZook]

The first thing scammers like these do is scaremonger. If a guy begins a cold call by telling you you're gonna die of cancer or get your computer blown up if you don't buy their product/service, it's a scam.

[mr friendly guy]

Are you really this stupid? I can't imagine why you'd think Microsoft would cold call customers from India about malware. Secret ninja army or something?

The is EXACTLY how malware works. Click the purple gorilla for me, sir!

Considering I didn't actually buy their schmitck, thats quite a statement.

[2000AD]

Oh man those guys were persistant. When I got them the first time the guy went through the hassle making up a fake company name and stuff, but the second guy just opened with "I'm calling from the technical department of your computer". If you're going to try and scam me then at least put some effort in.

[General Zod]

Oh man those guys were persistant. When I got them the first time the guy went through the hassle making up a fake company name and stuff, but the second guy just opened with "I'm calling from the technical department of your computer". If you're going to try and scam me then at least put some effort in.

There's actually a method to their madness, they make absurd openings because they want to find the most gullible idiot they can get ahold of to scam. They don't want someone who's smart enough to figure it out and maybe sue them.

[Jade Falcon]

Obviously a scam as MS won't cold call you. I got one of these assholes saying they were from 'Windows' calling about my computer.

First off I said that Windows was a product, not a company then hung up. I've seen youtube videos of two guys stringing these ones along though, both of which are funnny.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf2d0nBtz_U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcckUUjUiHo

[Torben]

If it is really true that - at a low end - 30-40% of Windows based PC's are infected with malware, Microsoft would need hundreds of call centers to handle the volume necessary to notify everyone that their computers were infected. They don't. It would cost too much money for little to no gain.

If you really think you have a virus, try ESET's Nod32 online scanner. If you want protection before you get something, purchase an AV product from someone like them or Norton. If you want free, use MS Security Essentials, but remember that you do get what you pay for - as long as you do your homework.

[General Zod]

If it is really true that - at a low end - 30-40% of Windows based PC's are infected with malware, Microsoft would need hundreds of call centers to handle the volume necessary to notify everyone that their computers were infected. They don't. It would cost too much money for little to no gain.

If you really think you have a virus, try ESET's Nod32 online scanner. If you want protection before you get something, purchase an AV product from someone like them or Norton. If you want free, use MS Security Essentials, but remember that you do get what you pay for - as long as you do your homework.

A lot of people just aren't aware of it. Or the infection lasts as long as it takes for their anti-virus to root it out.

[Malagar]

Those things are annoying.
I've been called four times by one of those scammers in the last week.

[SilverWingedSeraph]

There was a stage where I was getting calls from these guys literally every day of the week. It's tapered off since then, but I still get a call from someone claiming to be calling from "The Windows Technical Service Department" or something every week or so. It annoys me every damn time.

[mr friendly guy]

There was a stage where I was getting calls from these guys literally every day of the week. It's tapered off since then, but I still get a call from someone claiming to be calling from "The Windows Technical Service Department" or something every week or so. It annoys me every damn time.

You can get the phone company to take you off the listed numbers. Unfortunately you will have to wait until the next time these things are published. I am hoping to stop people advertising stuff (most of them appear legitimate) over the phone to me.

[General Zod]

There was a stage where I was getting calls from these guys literally every day of the week. It's tapered off since then, but I still get a call from someone claiming to be calling from "The Windows Technical Service Department" or something every week or so. It annoys me every damn time.

You can get the phone company to take you off the listed numbers. Unfortunately you will have to wait until the next time these things are published. I am hoping to stop people advertising stuff (most of them appear legitimate) over the phone to me.

I use a cell phone, have it listed on the do not call registry and don't worry about this. I've gotten maybe one marketing call over the last 6 years.

[Zanfib]

Did they talk about 'red errors' and 'yellow warnings'?

[Korto]

These dickheads. I've had calls from the "Windows Company", and from other people I can't remember mainly because I wasn't in a "Play along for the amusement" mood and just hung up straight away, but I mainly remember my first one where a guy told me that my computer had emailed him with a virus that infected his computer, but I could clean my computer by... by... something or other (don't remember the details, who really gives a fuck?). This raised interesting questions in my mind, since I was only accessing the internet in linux at that point, and yet apparently my Windows OS was infected, and here he is calling me on the phone, and yet I knew for fact that my phone number, address, or name was not anywhere on my computer. Not even where it asks for your name when installing the OS, as I don't like being asked therefore my name tends to be "Bugger" and I work for the company "Off".

[Simon_Jester]

The people who say this call has happened to them seem to be in Australia and the UK; has anyone heard of it in the US?

[Jub]

I know it's happened to people that I work with. I'm in Canada though.

[bilateralrope]

I've been called by them a few times here in New Zealand.

[Simon_Jester]

I'd expect it to happen in the US. It's a big target, and we've got no shortage of stupid people.

Maybe there's a legal thing that makes it dangerous to run the scam in the US.