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Police close 19 websites as fraud trail leads from New Delhi to Blackburn
How the cold-call support scam works
The computer support scammers seem to change their names and website addresses almost daily, but the methods they use stay the same.
The scam begins when a cold-caller from an Indian call centre phones the victim at home, saying there is a problem with their home computer.
Sometimes the callers claim to be working for Microsoft. Often they claim to have received error reports sent by Windows. Neither is true.
Next they ask to prove that the computer is infected. Often they ask the victim to open the Event Viewer. This will always show harmless errors, but the caller claims they are the result of malicious attacks. This process is shown in our video recording of the PC support cold call scam in action.
Other similar tricks involve asking the victim to display the Prefetch folder and claiming the files inside are infections.
Once the victim is convinced that their computer is infected, the company offers to fix it – for a fee, of course. In our investigation we were billed approximately £90 by bank card.
If the victim does pay, they are provided with software that is supposed to ‘fix’ the computer’s problems. In our investigation all the software provided is available online at no cost.
Take a look at our exclusive video of the scammers in action.
If you receive one of these calls here's what to do
If you receive a cold call claiming there is a problem with your PC, simply hang up the phone.
If the calls persist, contact your telephone company. BT has a Nuisance Call Advice Line on 0800 661 441.
If you have paid for this kind of ‘support’ by credit or debit card cancel the card immediately and check for any further transactions that may have been made.
If you paid using a Paypal account, report the transaction to Paypal instead.
Anyone who has been defrauded should also contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and the police.
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Click2support
I was a victim of this Company last year when I had a problem with my computer which I had referred to Microsoft and Click 2 Support telephoned and I foolishly thought that the two were linked. I referred the matter to South Yorkshie Police since the telephone number being quoted was in Bradford. I regularly receive cold calls but having been registered with the BT nuisance line for some time I contacted them again and they said that calls generally where when you dial 1471 and receive a message that the number was not available implies that the call comes from abroad. Unfortuneately, these cannot be prevented.
Posted by Barry Cooper, 05 Aug 2010
Coldcallscam PC fault, phone call. 28/7/2010
I received a call this morning from a so called Microsoft support site which told me I had a fault on a computer of mine running Windows.I was told that they could scan my pc and repair it, but as the support was now expired I must pay £69.99 . They called themselves 24x7 Soflware Solutions and gave me a phone number 01865521167 if I required them to help me.It was all very convincing but I do not give any card details or purchase, to any company I do not know. Your article in the "Computer Active" and onsite really highlights the problem with this type of scam.
Posted by Mr N.W. Osborne, 29 Jul 2010
Cold call scam PC virus 24/7/10
I received a call on Saturday from someone claiming to be Microsoft Technical Support. They took me to what looked like a genuine Microsoft website and asked me to download software to remove a virus from my PC. When I clicked on the download button I was given a set of numbers to read out to them, which actually gave them remote access to my PC and they tried to get me to pay a subscription. As soon as I saw this I logged off and asked for their number. They would not give this to me at first but phoned back with 0161 408 1545, which comes up on-line as a photographers in Manchester!
Posted by J Hetherington, 29 Jul 2010
Your Bank & ISP Will Never Ask
People have to be educated to the fact that their ISP/Bank will NEVER ask for their security details over the phone or via email. If in doubt delete the email or send to your ISP/Bank. And never give out your credit/debit card details.
Posted by John Hannon, 30 Jul 2010
PC Support Fraudsters
I have received two calls over the last 8 days (today 27 August 2010) from Asian accented persons claiming either my computer was running slow or I had a virus. They referred to me by surname, so assume they obtained that from the Voters Register. On both occasions I played along with the call to see if I could glean any useful information but when I asked them any technical questions or challenged how they knew what was on my computer they abruptly terminated the calls.
Posted by B Carter, 27 Aug 2010
Scam PC Protection callers.
I've been rang buy at least 5 of these sorts of scammers. Some had my card details already and asked for more information others asked for remote access to y PC and the prices offered ranged from £300 to £50 Some claimed to be part of Microsoft so I said "Don't they update me automaically for free" at which they stumbled over their words "eerm, but, erm, do you want your pc to get infected?" I said "Are you making a threat?" One guy asked me for £250 for the service and explained that I did'nt have that sort of cash at hand as I had to pay the Electricity to run the pc and that i would risk getting a virus, he then proceeded to lower his price, yeah right! yet another call, probably on the same day (early August) "Hello sir, I must inform you your pc is at risk of getting infected you must let me fix it for you, one years cover for £85" "well sir" I said "Your full of bull because I don't have a pc" Again more, "erm, but, erm, what do you mean?" Really what do I mean, Ha! I've now changed my bank cards, gone tele-preference and exdirectory. I beleive The Police are getting better at tracking these sorts of fraudsters down but always keep you guard up and you people tell your grannys and grandads not to hear any of it.
Posted by Mr M. Hall, 16 Sep 2010
PCtecnosupport
yikes! this people are on the move again! got a call from 'bt support' 3 days ago and the conversation went exactly as it did in the video attached to this article! literally the woman and man sound exactly the same people! felt so stupid i don't know anything about computers so didn't have a clue and went along with it until they demanded i pay them money and that finally got my alarm bells ringing. they are blantantly lying and continuing to lie! scoundrels! well i have reported it to action fraud as i had got names and numbers and just pleased they didn't get any money off me. anyone else had these callers recently?
Posted by rachel bisset, 03 Nov 2010
PC phone scammer
Just to reiterate what the above person said. Got a call on my day off so decided to play along, asked them which version of Windows I was using etc. They had no idea, obviously. He then offered to demonstrate the problem but would not give me specifics about what he was going to do. When I refused again to tell him which operating system I was on he said I was wasting time, I said to paraphrase 'not mine' he got shirty and hung up. Microsoft will never ever call you at home, it's unlikely they have your number. What they do have is direct access to your PC. If they do need to fix something they will send you a security patch to install. Unless, like me, you know your stuff and fancy a bit of banter, don't do anything on your computer that they ask you to.
Posted by Chris Wood, 17 Dec 2010
squadtech.net
An identical scam has been set up by squadtech.net. The phone numbers they use are: 01613530323 United Kingdom 03213123418 United States of America 08765123498 Australia It's the same situation as with 2gro and the other scammers; a cold call telling you that your computer is sending out a help request because it is about to break down or it has a virus. Why are these people able to get phone lines based in UK, USA etc, because without them these scams would be much harder to perpetrate.
Posted by JonB, 08 Apr 2011
Fraudulent Calls
We are getting these calls about once a week at present. The callers are incredibly persistent & even the information that I have an MSc in Computer Science does not put them off. My husband left one call on speaker phone but not answering. The caller was still shouting Hello 10 minutes later!
Posted by Rosemary Bamford, 26 Apr 2011
I think I've been scammed!
Having had some problems with my pc recently I was, stupidly, quite receptive to this Asian man offering to identify viruses and, by allowing him remote access, the scan would detect the problem. Only once this process was finished and he started asking for £60 did I realise what had happened. My insistance revealed the company to be called "Tech Buddy" and I was assured they were not interested in my personal data. Now I'm terrified of the consequences of this phishing episode. Can't believe I was so gullible!
Posted by Alex, 21 May 2011
I Fell for it.. Grrrrrrrrrrr
I received a call this morning from a so called Microsoft support site which told me I had a fault on a computer of mine running Windows.I was told that they could scan my pc and repair it, but as the support was now expired I must pay £69.99 . They called themselves Support for your PC and gave me a phone number 1414160445 if I required them to help me.It was all very convincing and I stupidly fell for it and paid £89 via credit card. I have now cancelled this card and have suspended all online banking. A hard lesson to learn but they were so convincing. Your article in the "Computer Active" and onsite really highlights the problem with this type of scam. Read more: http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/news/1912168/police-close-pc-support-fraudsters#ixzz1a8PBc9gK
Posted by Mrs Lesley McIntosh, 07 Oct 2011
I shake my head...
Welcome to the modern world... Some people own cars and don't understand even the mechanical basics about them. Same with many computer owners. Automobile repair ripoffs or computer ripoffs Both are victims of their own willful ignorance.
Posted by Robert McDonald, 27 Oct 2011
The Continuing Microsoft support scam
It is now 5 months later and they are still trying to get to go online, now to "have their accounting department help me fill out a form online" to get my money back. When I say that I am not at my computer and would rather email the company directly, and could they give me their email address or telephone number so that I can call them back, or ask for information regarding where their company is, "Perry Lopez" (that's what he says his name is, I don't trust him one bit that this is true) says he is calling from California. When I ask, "Is this in the USA, he says, What? " I ask, is this in the USA? He says, well maamm, if you want the refund you will have to go online on your computer with our accounting department and fill in the form to prevent errors from being made. I say, I am not stupid, I can fill in a form, and submit it to you via email. He says, well if you don't want the refund, then I cannot help you. I say, well, no, I want the refund, but I can't go on my computer right now, so I just want the website address or email address of your accounting department. I can fill in a refund form on your website just as good as I can fill one out online, as you are suggesting. But maam, he says, you cannot fill out a refund form on the website, there are only payment forms on the website. (hmmmm, as she thinks for next suitable words). Well, what is your company address, and .... Then he interrupts - you are just wasting my time, if you don't want the refund that is your problem. I say, well, I would prefer then if you can't help me to stop calling me, and suggesting that I go online to fill in forms, ..... click. (This is about the 20th call we have from them, either asking for me or my husband). We are getting wise to them; unfortunately the numbers are blocked and we cannot get them to reveal anything else. The Noose Tightens.
Posted by Never Again A Victim, 16 Dec 2011
Cold Call PC Scam?
I didn't think I'd be taken in but these people claimed to be from a company 24/7 PC Support that I seemed to remember having a PC warranty and maintenance contract with. They said I'd got a virus problem and showed me the Event Viewer as happened to other people. Yes they sounded Indian too. They asked for remote access (the bit that now worries me)but when I refused to pay money for an expired 'service licence' without checking it all out myself first they rang off very quickly. I have run a full McAfee scan and detected no viruses or malware etc left behind so I don't think any harm has been done. I'd convinced myself that they were my old maintenance company seeking to get me to renew my subscription by a rather devious means but now I think it was the scammers again. I just hope remote access hasn't given them any information I don't want them to have (bank accounts etc). I'll have to be careful for a while. Beware.
Posted by Alan New, 19 Dec 2011
Time the police did what we pay them for
BT in the UK should also do more to block the scammer who are now using Support.me to instal a virus on peoples machines. Invisible Terorists on every street corner seems to be taking tom much of police time is all i can say.
Posted by Mr Beans, 14 Apr 2012