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Scammers pretend to be from Microsoft, tell victims their PCs are infected and try to extract money for technical support
Microsoft is considering legal action against companies in its Microsoft Partner Network that claim to be calling on its behalf to tell people their PCs have been infected with malicious software.
The software giant said because these ‘companies’ are misleading people into believing the calls are on behalf of Microsoft, it was looking at its legal options.
“We have not yet initiated legal action against these companies, but we are considering the legal options at our disposal. We pay very close attention to the reports we have received from individuals who tell us they have been defrauded by such companies.
“Each and every report helps us in determining the best response to this situation,” Microsoft said.
We first alerted Microsoft to this ongoing scam, which appears to be run mainly by Indian-based companies, back in February after being contacted by dozens of worried readers.
The names of the companies change constantly, as do the UK phone numbers, but the method is always the same.
They cold call and tell their victims that they work on behalf of Microsoft and have been told the person’s PC is running slowly or been infected with malicious software.
The victim is asked to switch on their PC and can be asked to visit a website where the caller says they can then remotely access the PC to fix the problem.
You can watch our video of how the PC support cold call scam works.
Worryingly, these fraudsters often appear to have quite a lot of information about their victims, including when and where a person bought a PC.
They then try to persuade the recipient of the call to pay for ongoing technical help or security software by credit or debit card or through Paypal.
Recently we sent Microsoft more information given to us by readers, including alleged Microsoft ID badge numbers and asked it for comment.
The company told us that because it took the “matter very seriously” it was now also refusing to work with other companies it believed had abused their relationship with it.
"We confirm that we have taken action to terminate our relationship with certain partners who are clearly misrepresenting their relationship with us and using our company name in order to facilitate their telephone scam operations,” Microsoft said.
We have also reported the scams to the Office of Fair Trading and Action Fraud. Readers who receive these calls should also lodge a complaint with Action Fraud.
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Computer cold call
I was contacted Thursday 9th Sept 2010 Late afternoon. From www.helppcontinueline Tel number 08009770035 or the Manager Tom Jackson. 02033180526. They said they could make my computer much faster and could also cure my printer as I was unable to print, I think this may be because I have a new Router?Both men told me they could take care of any problems I had with the comp! Obviously by remote assistance. It was made to sound that it was all free of charge. I was told to click onto various web sites and parts of my machine. Everything that came up on the screen they said was contaminated by a Virus and the this would affect the soft ware and then the hard ware on the comp. This would cause irreparable damage.They would make sure that it would be corrected if I paid £94.99p and were most anxous to have my details there and then. I was very suspicious and said I would need to talk this over with someone.They phoned again today and were very annoyed when I said I was not interested. I put the phone down on them. At that time, I was typing this letter, everything disappeared off the screen and all sorts of strange things happened to the comp. I could not get onto web sites that dealt with reporting what had happened. Have tried the Tel number and Website to no avail.
Posted by Dee, 10 Sep 2010
Cold call scam
I was called yesterday by an Asian-sounding man by the name of Ronnie Wilson! He said he was from the Windows Service Centre in London and they were the caretakers of Windows Users. He said my internet protocol link was broken and my computer was in danger of being infected by viruses. He kept telling me repeatedly to go to my computer and switch it on so he could fix it. I said I couldn't do that at the moment so he kept saying ' when - tonight, tomorrow - tell me when you can and I will phone back.' I told him my son would deal with it when he was home so he kept asking when that would be. I asked him for his phone number so we could ring at a more convenient time - he wasn't keen on giving this but I said this was the only way. Eventually he gave this number 08000148418, saying it would take a long time to get through and to make sure I asked for Ronnie Wilson. When I Googled this number, it appears to be a fitness bootcamp!!! Needless to say, I have not phoned and am waiting to see if he tries phoning me again.
Posted by Rain, 09 Oct 2010
Scam still running!
Seems this scam is still alive and kicking. Was called today on my (ex directory)home phone number and asked for by name, by a man with a thick Indian accent claiming to be calling from Microsoft technical support in London. He said my computer is sending frequent error reports to Microsoft saying it has been hacked and he needed me to log on immediately to check some settings. I asked how he had my name and number and how come my computer was running fine, and he kept repeating himself. I hung up, then Googled the scam and found this article. The number came up on my caller display as 0250000000000.
Posted by Annie, 20 Dec 2010
scam
My sister fell foul to these scammers by granting them remote access to my parents computer, however she didn't give any bank details or personal information. It has just left them worried that any personal details can be, or have been extracted already by these fraudsters and what damage they could done to the computer. I would be grateful of any advice or steps that they can take to put their minds at rest.
Posted by Gerry Clarke, 31 May 2011
Computer Scam
A man who said he was Mark Wilson called from Global Windows Systems and said he was calling to say our computer was infected my wife said which computer and he said that he had made a mistake and rung off.The number from which he ws calling was 08000148418
Posted by Martyn Seabrook, 27 Jul 2011
Microsoft Servicce Centre Scam
I've just been called at work by someone calling herself Hermione Wilson saying she was calling from the Windows Service Centre and that there was an urgent problem with my computer. Disturbingly she knew my name. She had an Asian accent and, despite the 0025 number coming up on my work phone, she said she was calling from London. She said that I had malicious spyware trying to attack my PC and that it would corrupt my circuit board and my computer would be useless in a few days if it didn't get fixed. She wanted me to hold down the Microsoft Windows key on the bottom left hand side of the keyboard (next to Ctrl key) and hit R at the same time. My company have an IT Manager so I was surprised that he wasn't getting the call so that he could liaise with me direct to sort the problem. I took her number to call her back once I'd spoken to my IT Manager (08000148418!). I Googled this number and here I am!! Beware this lady was very persistent.
Posted by Tara, 23 Sep 2011
I seem to have fallen for this .. Grrrrrrrr
Had a phone call this morning and I stupidly fell for it all, hook, line and sinker. So angry at myself as there were so many alarm bells ringing and I still went ahead with it. Have cancelled all cards and suspended online banking so hope thats enough. :-(
Posted by Mrs Lesley McIntosh, 07 Oct 2011
I fell for it too :-(
They said that my computer was sending out viruses with my emails and they would cancel my email account if i did not pay so not to infect the recipients/web users. They also they installed Ammyy which messed my computer up and made it seem slow but when disabling there instalations my computer is faster again.
Posted by Miss Aimée Brooks, 19 Oct 2011
31st October 2011
I've just been called by Marvin from so called Microsoft Care on 08000148418, Same thing - told to hold down the Windows key and r and then to read off how many red and yellow warnings I could see in the list. "Oh my goodness, Ma'am. Your computer is really badly infected, ma'am" etc etc and said he was going to get me to give control of my computer to one of the technicians to sort it out. I said I would check him out and call him back. Glad to see that Microsoft knows about them and DEFINITELY think that legal action should be taken.
Posted by Elisabeth Alder, 31 Oct 2011
re: Microsoft scam
This scam is still running. I had a call yesterday from a "microsoft" "help" team. They insisted they had recevieved error messages from my pc. They told me my pc was under threat from viruses and for £200 they could fix same. The telephone number they gave me to contact was 08000148418. Again it seems to be an Indian run scam. Needless to say I refused their "help" and to pay them any money!!!
Posted by Peter Spoor, 03 Nov 2011
Very upset...
My parents have rang me today and told me they have been on the phone today to a microsoft engineer who had turned their computer off and they could not re-access their computer. It turns out they were speaking to this person for 2 hours and he was accessing their computer he has now changed their log in for the computer and they can now not access it. My parents have now cancelled access to on-line banking etc they fortunatley did not give any money to this person on the phone who was very demanding. They are both extreemly upset - if you read this please warn people about this. I am very cross with myself as I had a phone call with the same 'line' and did not warn my parents but this is a huge scam.... protect those we love by spreading the word.
Posted by Justine, 10 Nov 2011
SCAMMERS!!!
hi had calls today kept putting the phone down on him but give him his due he was a persistant bugger and kept calling, i told him i was not going to follow and of his insrtuctions or give out any personal information, i may have been born at night but it certainly wasn't last night!!!!, he then threatened to completely lock down and block my computer, to which i replied WHAT EVER, i called microsoft my self who confirmed that it is infact a huge scam, if he calls me again i have a whistle at the ready!!!
Posted by nicola , 15 Nov 2011
Still going strong
I just had one of these scam calls. I said I'd call back. They used the 08000 148418 number. When I rang back, the phone was answered but not with a company name. They were careful to say they weren't Microsoft. But shouldn't the credit card companies or PayPal be stopping these scammers from what is really stealing money from the vulnerable.
Posted by stevie, 03 Jan 2012
scammers
we are getting at least 1 call a day from these people. Today I advised them that my number was listed on the telephone preference service & that they are in breach of UK law & if they continued I would report them to the appropriate authority. They hung up. They are very persistent & have variously stated that Microsoft requested the call or that the call was requested by the broadband supplier, worryingly they knew who that was! I can understand why some people are fooled into allowing access to their systems
Posted by Barbara, 04 Jan 2012
phone scam
I am getting sick of this. I have been getting a phone call by these scammers every day for the past 2 weeks! i just so angry with them and all i get is laughed at. Wish i could put the fear of god in them. I am ex directory and i have a bar on my home phone so they are unable to call unless they give their number. It is a right pain. The thing that makes it worse is they are always asking for my 65 year old mother. I have warned her from the very first phone call we received NEVER to give any details and to just put the phone down. But it is so hard when you are getting so many phone calls per day. It is harsement. It is just getting beyond a joke. Please can i have some advise please on how to deal with these calls. What is going to get done about it? It needs to stop. Too many people are getting conned by these people. Lucky for me i have not fell for it and neither has any member of my family. I just would like to know how the hell they got our number.
Posted by eileen, 20 Apr 2012
STILL at it!!
Luckily i decided to google and found this site, was just called by a man claiming to work for Microsoft who asked me to turn on my pc because he said it had been reported that it was running slowly! The man also had a thick Indian accent and was calling from an international telephone number. He knew my name and was very convincing as when i several times if he was going to try and sell me something he said absolutely not! Luckily had heard of these scams before and was confirmed when i found this site.
Posted by Joyce, 21 Apr 2012