Anyone calling you as a "Microsoft" security specialist wanting your credit card number?

Forty minutes on the phone with an "east Indian" telling me my computer has been hacked to the degree of 93 percent 15,035 hacks in one month, and I need a service to thwart this. Apparently Norton or the other antiviral firewalls cannot protect you. They wanted my credit card number and a payment plan 208.00 for 2 years; at the end of the call I told them I did not possess any credit cards. They suggested I get a 'debit card' from Walmart. Conversation ensues: me: "Seriously? not doing that and who are you exactly as representatives of Microsoft Corp". Them: (very ANGRY and shouting "We are shutting you down and you cannot use the internet anymore until you pay the security fee". me: "No you are not, I have a high speed internet contract with another entity you can do nothing". them: "You are the scammer, wasting our time" me: "No, you called me and wound up threatening me what is this?" They hung up.
Do not answer any phone calls with "unknown caller" identified. These people are getting better at the scams (not just the Nigerians anymore; East Indians).

a reply to: vethumanbeing

Yes, it is a well-documented scam that has been going on for years.

There may some be different variations of it, one would be where they talk you through going to their site over the phone and have you inadvertently give them control over your computer then they can lock you out or shut you down.

Basically they hold your computer for ransom, but even if you pay they never give you control back. They can also look through all of your info.

a reply to: vethumanbeing

Yup. He told me his name was "Kevin" in just about the heaviest Indian accent I have encountered. No Kevin your English is not perfectly fine. Cracked me up. It was a good laugh, but I hung up on him anyway. I think this officially makes me a racist B***H but he was trying to steal my money, so whatever.

Grimpachi is right. They try to get you to install teamplayer or other software onto your computer sometimes. They get you to open up the computer. From there they can hack any financial data and probably sell it.

I talked to them at first to try to figure out what they wanted. Never go to a site they recommend. It is a scam. I wish I had an old computer to hook up and I know a person who did hacking, I could get tracking software from him. It would be fun to turn the tides and wipe out their accounts. I'd probably mess up though. Just a pipe dream.

a reply to: vethumanbeing
I am retired (for now) from one of the largest , if not the largest , tech companies in the Universe.I used to deal with servers , laptops , and desktops. I have 3 custom built(by me) PCs one of which is in the top 10% in the world on PCP itstop. I was actually gaming on it , when I received a call. The erm "gentleman" was very nice and mannered in the beginning. He let me know I was having issues with my PC. Oops , danger Will Robinson , danger came to mind.I asked this nice man which PC was I having issues with. He stated " your PC" . I told him at the time I had 3.The whole conversation went downhill though when I told him I was gaming on that system with no issue.He became very belligerent and actually told me that I knew nothing of computers. I ended the conversation by telling him that if that was the case , he should call my manager and let him know...then hung up.
This is a group from India that picks up your stats from online then calls. Absolutely a scam.....

originally posted by: grimpachi
a reply to: vethumanbeing

Yes, it is a well-documented scam that has been going on for years.

There may some different variations of it one would be where they talk you through going through their site over the phone and have you inadvertently give them control of your computer where they can lock you out or shut you down.

Basically they hold your computer ransom, but even if you pay they never give you control back. They can also look through all of your info.

These people were really good at this. I asked "why would anyone be interested in me?" I don't have any personal information on my computer. Classic response by them: "there could be a potential". I knew of these scams. I just wanted to see how they have developed. I told them, you do anything to corrupt my computer, I will find you out; even though homeless and living under a bridge I have internet; this is where this person became Very Angry. I have no info to look through; just dialog on ATS (worthless mumblings). Thanks for the reply Grimpachi.

Here is a site about the scam and they have a recording of one of the calls where they play along with scamers.

call recording

a reply to: Gothmog
Wow; thanks for the information (great story). I realized I had a live one when "Tad" became so angry with my living status (troll under a bridge).

Microsoft Security Specialist?

I would think that anyone who has worked with Windows probably doesn't believe such a job exists.

If it does exist, I certainly wouldn't admit to being one.

I also get the "Microsoft" calls daily. They even show up as my home number......on my home phone. I simply tell them that I have no computer and to take me off their list. Half the time, they hang up as I'm talking. The other half they yell at me in a language I don't speak. Makes my blood pressure high.

originally posted by: vethumanbeing
a reply to: Gothmog
Wow; thanks for the information (great story). I realized I had a live one when "Tad" became so angry with my living status (troll under a bridge).

Ok , now you dun it.Just went through and recovering from surgery and you made me laugh...hurts when I laugh.Oh , wait , laughter is the best medicine.

I used to get numerous calls from them weekly and it drove me out of my mind! I would be polite and ask them to put me on their do not call list and they were relentless and still called. I would get so pissed I would yell and swear. I haven't received any calls from them in a while, but there are still other scammers and people asking for donations for everything under the sun. Even when you tell them you're on a limited income they would say they understand BUT...There is no but, I just hang up.

originally posted by: redhorse
a reply to: vethumanbeing

redhorse: Yup. He told me his name was "Kevin" in just about the heaviest Indian accent I have encountered. No Kevin your English is not perfectly fine. Cracked me up. It was a good laugh, but I hung up on him anyway. I think this officially makes me a racist B***H but he was trying to steal my money, so whatever.

I had to revert to using the universal language, Alpha, Charlie, Foxtrot, Echo, Uniform, Golf, Yankee, Whiskey; you get the idea to talk this person (spell out your words). The first person I had dialog with was 'Scott" the second one (I guess I was a problem) was the supervisor "Tad". They wanted my money just as you say. Slick operation.

I get this call so often I recognize the guy and hang up on him before he gets to the second sentence. We have multiple computers running and well he can't seem to tell me which one it is so well, what the heck. One time I flat out told him that hey if microsoft can't hire someone to call me that can speak english well enough so I can understand them, well, they are putting their profits to poor use.
but ya, it's a scam and well, I generally find phones irratating as all heck anyways. they ain't never gotten rude on me simply because I tend to get downright hostile to them. My son's printer has a fax machine included in it and I think that it's set now to answer the phone when people call, they don't even get to talk to the answering machine anymore. suppose I should talk to him about it but well....
anybody I want to talk to usually uses aim. and it's annoying as all heck when you get so many useless phone calls from people who don't have the courtesy to know they shouldn't be bothering you trying to sell you crap or wanting you to donate to their whatever...and that's not to mention the danged mortgage company who the last time I called them told me it was written on my file that they could only talk to my lawyer so they couldn't talk to me... well if they can't talk to me, then why they heck do they call me every flipping week or more often???

originally posted by: rickymouse
Grimpachi is right. They try to get you to install teamplayer or other software onto your computer sometimes. They get you to open up the computer. From there they can hack any financial data and probably sell it.

I talked to them at first to try to figure out what they wanted. Never go to a site they recommend. It is a scam. I wish I had an old computer to hook up and I know a person who did hacking, I could get tracking software from him. It would be fun to turn the tides and wipe out their accounts. I'd probably mess up though. Just a pipe dream.

Hack this 1984 Mackintosh! you fiends; or this Brother sewing machine or this Compac or this 386 IBM CLONE (even better the IBM Selectric Typewriter). Hack my Walkman. I was curious as to what plan they had (fix my computer) no; they wanted money to be my computer's heavily accented East Indian security guards I could not interact with (virtual muscle)?

a reply to: vethumanbeing

They call us two or three times a week. It is like these people can't understand that you are not going to take their bait and keep calling all the time. I tell them I know it is a scam, it goes in one ear and out the other. Sometimes the same person calls, can't they understand that we are actually discussing these calls in our household with everyone? I have even told them we all know and not to call. I even told them to send me an e-mail and they asked for the address, if they knew where I was they would know my email address. It makes no difference, they keep calling.

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom
Microsoft Security Specialist?

I would think that anyone who has worked with Windows probably doesn't believe such a job exists.

If it does exist, I certainly wouldn't admit to being one.

Those arrogant techies. YES; That job/wouldn't exist in the first place AS the product, the operating system is stellar/bullet proof; and totally un-hackable.

originally posted by: rickymouse
a reply to: vethumanbeing

They call us two or three times a week. It is like these people can't understand that you are not going to take their bait and keep calling all the time. I tell them I know it is a scam, it goes in one ear and out the other. Sometimes the same person calls, can't they understand that we are actually discussing these calls in our household with everyone? I have even told them we all know and not to call. I even told them to send me an e-mail and they asked for the address, if they knew where I was they would know my email address. It makes no difference, they keep calling.

They are going to break you at some point rickymouse; just waiting for the right moment, catch you out when you are at your weakest point (forgot to feed the dogs). I told these people you are fakirs/scammers; they turned it back upon me (how dare you not have a credit card in this day and age)! As if I were a criminal for not getting myself into debt.

www.wired.co.uk...

there's nothing like being called an a..h..le by the tech after they delete most of your files and then the guy on the phone tell you that the tech is always right!!

originally posted by: grimpachi
Here is a site about the scam and they have a recording of one of the calls where they play along with scamers.

call recording

I am going to listen to this; helpful hints. Just getting the east indian to spell (NOT PRONOUNCE) his words with a universal radio communication was hilarious. "The" became Tango Hotel Echo (probably why the conversation lasted so long).