Warning to all. re:Microsoft

[Whiskeydog]

Warn eldery relatives.
Scammers pretending to be from microsoft windows are at it again. just had a call & when I questioned the guy on the phone, he got quite abusive and hung up on me.
Many of you will know, but for those who don't. .. the scammers get you to unwittingly allow them remote access to your computer, giving them full access to all manner of personal info/any online banking details etc.
Do your granma a huge favour...warn her about this scam.

[Miguel Alvarez]

I've had a few of these over Christmas. I managed to keep one on the phone for 10 mins. Pretty impressive I think. This guy wanted to speak to the missus so he could refund her for her microsoft purchase recently. After much telling him the missus loves money and will be happy with a refund he tried to talk me into logging onto my laptop so he could refund it to me instead.

[ali4390]

Whiskeydog said:

Warn eldery relatives.
Scammers pretending to be from microsoft windows are at it again. just had a call & when I questioned the guy on the phone, he got quite abusive and hung up on me.
Many of you will know, but for those who don't. .. the scammers get you to unwittingly allow them remote access to your computer, giving them full access to all manner of personal info/any online banking details etc.
Do your granma a huge favour...warn her about this scam.

I thought that said 'grammar', which seemed to be slightly ironic.

[jjones]

yep had one this morning, first in about 18 months, sounded like a Filipino accent.

[Silverbullet767]

Yes, hello, I need full access to your computer pleasings.

Anyone that falls for this deserves what they get.

[jjones]

Silverbullet767 said:

Yes, hello, I need full access to your computer pleasings.

Anyone that falls for this deserves what they get.

that's a tad harsh, ok for the younger generation to spot this scam for what it is, not so easy for older internet users.

[Silverbullet767]

jjones said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Yes, hello, I need full access to your computer pleasings.

Anyone that falls for this deserves what they get.

that's a tad harsh, ok for the younger generation to spot this scam for what it is, not so easy for older internet users.

Harsh or not, it's the truth. When I buy something I make damn sure I learn how to use it/research it beforehand so that I don't have any problems down the line.

Being old isn't an excuse IMO. A fool and his money.

[Hoofy]

The scam can be quite clever because they tell you to type something that brings up very minor Windows errors that are typical for most machines that aren't brand new to "prove" that you have a problem and MS knew about it IYSWIM.

You then install standard remote access software from a well-established site (legit) and give them your access code which is where the dodginess starts.

They're not actually going to grab your details usually (they might) but just charge the victim for fixing the aforementioned "problems".

So it's a scam but it isn't.

I guess it's much like a garage hearing a belt squeaking and telling the driver they can fix it but it requires a full service. Or someone fixing my leaky gutter and charging me £500 to service and test it (ie pour water through the down pipes and tick a box).

I could be completely wrong, though.

Edited by Hoofy on Tuesday 22 January 12:35

[Vieste]

Mybrainhurts hope you are reading this

[anonymous-user]

I had one of these on Friday and I made him cry

I asked him if his mother was alive - he said yes. I asked him if she was proud of him, ringing people up and trying to steal from them.

His voice broke noticeably and there were a couple of sobs before the line went dead.

[Jonboy_t]

Silverbullet767 said:

jjones said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Yes, hello, I need full access to your computer pleasings.

Anyone that falls for this deserves what they get.

that's a tad harsh, ok for the younger generation to spot this scam for what it is, not so easy for older internet users.

Harsh or not, it's the truth. When I buy something I make damn sure I learn how to use it/research it beforehand so that I don't have any problems down the line.

Being old isn't an excuse IMO. A fool and his money.

What a stupid thing to say.

So, would you expect my 90 year old Nan to be able to pick up my laptop and bash out an Access database because she has a computer herself?

Older generations have computers (generally speaking) to keep in touch with their kids/grandkids because they have to, not (again, generally) because they want to. They are told what they need by family and, if they're lucky, a kind hearted salesperson in the shop, they are not told, and have no inclination, that there are unscrupulous s out there that will be able to hack into their computer and empty their life savings.

[Silverbullet767]

Jonboy_t said:

Silverbullet767 said:

jjones said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Yes, hello, I need full access to your computer pleasings.

Anyone that falls for this deserves what they get.

that's a tad harsh, ok for the younger generation to spot this scam for what it is, not so easy for older internet users.

Harsh or not, it's the truth. When I buy something I make damn sure I learn how to use it/research it beforehand so that I don't have any problems down the line.

Being old isn't an excuse IMO. A fool and his money.

What a stupid thing to say.

So, would you expect my 90 year old Nan to be able to pick up my laptop and bash out an Access database because she has a computer herself?

Older generations have computers (generally speaking) to keep in touch with their kids/grandkids because they have to, not (again, generally) because they want to. They are told what they need by family and, if they're lucky, a kind hearted salesperson in the shop, they are not told, and have no inclination, that there are unscrupulous s out there that will be able to hack into their computer and empty their life savings.

I'm not talking about access databases. If someone allows a stranger to root around their own property. Then they deserve what they get. The concept is the same be it a knock at the door or on a computer.

Maybe I just see things in black and white.

[SLCZ3]

Silverbullet767 said:

I'm not talking about access databases. If someone allows a stranger to root around their own property. Then they deserve what they get. The concept is the same be it a knock at the door or on a computer.

Maybe I just see things in black and white.

Hmm, still using the BBC micro then.

[saaby93]

SLCZ3 said:

Hmm, still using the BBC micro then.

BBC Micro with its Acorn microprocessor that developed into ARM core used by most phones and many tablets
Interesting lineage

[AJB]

Silverbullet767 said:

Harsh or not, it's the truth. When I buy something I make damn sure I learn how to use it/research it beforehand so that I don't have any problems down the line.

Silverbullet767 said:

I'm not talking about access databases. If someone allows a stranger to root around their own property. Then they deserve what they get. The concept is the same be it a knock at the door or on a computer.

Maybe I just see things in black and white.

The trouble is that the world isn't black and white. If you buy a car, do you research and learn how to fix every single that that might go wrong with it beforehand? Or do you sometimes give it to a stranger at the garage, give him the key, and allow him to root around in your property.

Personally, I hate taking my car to the garage and much prefer to work on it myself when I can. But if I do take it to the garage becuase there's something wrong that's beyond my capabilities, and if the garage steal my property from the car, then do I "deserve what I get" because I let someone in?

[LeeMad]

Silverbullet767 said:

I'm not talking about access databases. If someone allows a stranger to root around their own property. Then they deserve what they get. The concept is the same be it a knock at the door or on a computer.

Maybe I just see things in black and white.

I see your point. If someone knocks on your door saying they're from your bank asking for your bank statements, you don't jut hand them over. Why do the same with digital information. I informed my 50odd year old mother of this scam, she laughed and said she might not know fully how to use a computer but she's not stupid, sums it up.

[Silverbullet767]

AJB said:

Silverbullet767 said:

Harsh or not, it's the truth. When I buy something I make damn sure I learn how to use it/research it beforehand so that I don't have any problems down the line.

Silverbullet767 said:

I'm not talking about access databases. If someone allows a stranger to root around their own property. Then they deserve what they get. The concept is the same be it a knock at the door or on a computer.

Maybe I just see things in black and white.

The trouble is that the world isn't black and white. If you buy a car, do you research and learn how to fix every single that that might go wrong with it beforehand? Or do you sometimes give it to a stranger at the garage, give him the key, and allow him to root around in your property.

Personally, I hate taking my car to the garage and much prefer to work on it myself when I can. But if I do take it to the garage becuase there's something wrong that's beyond my capabilities, and if the garage steal my property from the car, then do I "deserve what I get" because I let someone in?

Were not talking about the same thing here. With cars, if someone offered to repair my car over the phone or with a chap at the door, I would tell them to foxtrot oscar. I don't expect to be able to repair every last thing with a car. But I am nominating my own person to repair the car, a garage I trust, and someone I know who is not going to steal from it. I certainly would trust a phone call from someone who sounds like English is their third language offering to 'fix your car pleasings'

[Aphex]

Hoofy said:

The scam can be quite clever because they tell you to type something that brings up very minor Windows errors that are typical for most machines that aren't brand new to "prove" that you have a problem and MS knew about it IYSWIM.

You then install standard remote access software from a well-established site (legit) and give them your access code which is where the dodginess starts.

They're not actually going to grab your details usually (they might) but just charge the victim for fixing the aforementioned "problems".

So it's a scam but it isn't.

I guess it's much like a garage hearing a belt squeaking and telling the driver they can fix it but it requires a full service. Or someone fixing my leaky gutter and charging me £500 to service and test it (ie pour water through the down pipes and tick a box).

I could be completely wrong, though.

Completely right. They will install a few free programs that clear the desktop up a little and charge an extortionate amount for it.

Worse still is when people try to claim the amount back for being ripped off, theres not an awful lot that can be done.

They said they'd clear your desktop of errors, did that happen? 'Well, yes but..'

And you can see the programs on your computer? 'Yes but they're progrmas I could have installed for free'. Why did you give your cardnumber over then?

Rinse and repeat to make ££££

[Terminator X]

Fail safe for me is to ring people back on a known number if they call me asking security questions etc ... I'm amazed that people can fall for such a piss poor scam though incl the old, weak and/or feeble minded.

TX.

[hwassall]

saaby93 said:

BC Micro with its Acorn microprocessor that developed into ARM core used by most phones and many tablets
Interesting lineage

[off topic, must avoid being a pedant but can't as am sad old geek]

Not quite I'm afraid. Had you said Acorn Archimedes, you would have been correct. The BBC Micro used a 6502 from MOS.

[/off topic, must avoid being a pedant but can't as am sad old geek]