855-442-8444

This was a new one for me. Robocall saying Emergency! Microsoft license key has expired! Call [phone number]. It's a pretty clever scam in that the only people likely to call back are those who fall for the scam. It effectively filters out the masses who know it's a scam.

Just got the call a few minutes ago. This one's a new one for me also, wish it was a live person, and so I could tell them I don't have a windows computer.

Total scam. A very breathy woman says it's an emergency call. The microsoft license key has expired on my computer. Beware! This is scam central.

First time receiving this call.  Surprised they left a message -- a poor quality recording of a nearly monotone female voice, which was probably computer generated.  If Microsoft was really calling, they would have clearly identified themselves and probably with a live call.  Such an obvious scam attempt, but I guess some people still fall for it.  (I wish there was a "Scam" option for Call Type.)

Same as above....breathless woman telling me it's an emergency!! my Window License has expired and I must call for new licensing key.

Received this call from  a woman l saying that it was an emergency and that my Microsoft license had expired. I wasn't home and the message was left on my message machine.

Caller stated my Microsoft license expired and I must call this number to renew.

So yes, this is clearly a scam.  But I called them back because I wanted to mess with them.  Spent 12 minutes on the phone wasting their time so they couldn't spend the time on the phone with other people who didn't know what this was.  After 12 minutes, they hung up on me because I told them I'd just been wasting their time so they couldn't prey on other people.  Gave me a good chuckle!

Rarely a day goes by that I don't get a call from a variety of area codes, send them to voice mail, block the number for obvious reasons but take a minute to call the number back from a different phone to see where it may have originated... 100% of the time the number is no good.  TODAY however, they left an automated message and when I dialed the number, they answered!  While I was in shock, I asked about the scam and they ironically hung up on me... how rude for a Microsoft representative!!!  I phoned a few more times and while they were all different men with Indian accents, only one of them stayed on the line for questions.   I asked why he was calling me and he said he was from Microsoft.  I asked which country he was calling from and he said the US.  I repeated myself as it was hard to believe and he said "Alaska".  I then asked why he was calling me from Microsoft... his response was that he never said that he was from Microsoft, called me a liar and asked when he said that.  I told him "just a few sentences ago".  He thought I said "a few centuries ago" and I had fun with that for a few minutes and decided I had my fill of entertainment for a Monday.  It's so sad and pathetic that these trolls exist and will use hours of their lives to take advantage of decent, hard working or elderly people and be able to sleep at night.

Another scam

Received a call that I had to call 855-442-8444 immediately since my Microsoft Key has expired.  How annoying!

Hacker called and said my license for Microsoft has expired and there are hackers in my system now. They have taken over the computer and can't log in.  They want 6 $50 iTunes cards

Think about it---Why would a legitimate company want iTunes cards instead of cash??

>> They have taken over the computer  <<

Are you saying you allowed the scammer to have remote access to your computer?

If the scammers accessed the computer, they probably did one or more of the following:
• Disabled the anti-virus software
• Added nasty malware to the computer
• Copied the Contact List (so they can spam/email your soon-to-be ex-friends)
• Copied any financial data or passwords they could find
• Compromised your ID on Facebook or other social site(s), and perhaps on shopping sites.
• "Zombied" the computer, so it would respond to THEIR commands sent via internet
• Deleted some important files
• Asked for money to repair the damage they caused

What can you do immediately after such an attack?
1.  Pull the cables on the computer, or otherwise disable it, so it cannot access the internet.
2.  Change ALL  passwords stored on the computer.
3.  Run FULL malware scans on the computer, in "SAFE" mode!
4.  Change the passwords again, particularly if the malware scans showed anything.
5.  Inform your bank and credit card companies.
6.  Sign up for credit monitoring, and check the status frequently
7.  Backup non-executable personal, data files to an external storage device.  (Executable files might be infected).
8.  You may have to bring the computer to a local repair shop, and tell them the story.
9.  Tell friends what happened, so they can be aware of strange emails from you.
10.  Connect to the internet only AFTER all the above have been done.
11.  Change the passwords on all online accounts.  Even better - access a "safe", uninfected  computer, and change your online account passwords RIGHT NOW.

NOTE:
If your computer set a "Restore Point" while it was infected, any "System Restore" you make will re-infect your computer.  Suggest you delete any potentially infected restore points and avoid setting such restore points until after your computer has been thoroughly cleaned!

You fell for one scam, and might be susceptible to others mentioned on this site:
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts.html
Read that info to educate and help protect yourself!

Honest computer companies do NOT cold-call people, or cause popups from websites to tell them their computers need fixing!

Some scammers even have websites, and falsely advertise they are associated with popular software packages or computer companies; so do NOT believe a "we will fix your computer remotely" site, and allow them access to your computer!

Read the info at these links.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cold-Call-Tech ... on-150170.shtml
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-support-scams

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/portal/mmpc/shared/ransomware.aspx

Lesson:
If your computer needs fixing, bring it to a local repair shop

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Please reply to this post, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.

Received a call that I had to call 855-442-8444 immediately since my Microsoft Key has expired

Just got the same call 45 minutes ago.  Knew it was a scam.  It has been going on for years.  I know at least two folks who fell for it and had their computers hijacked.  What a shame that nothing can be done about this type of thing.

The Nigerian/East Indian princes left a message about my computer.  Obviously a scam.  Is this an SMS call?  In call type, there is no scam category.

Just received a robo call telling me our Microsoft license key had expired.

The Indian dude kept calling me mam. So to patronize him (I'm a man) I told him I was naked and he sounded cute. He kept ignoring me and stuck to his scamming script. I finally hung up and blocked all future calls from that number.

Just called. Auto message about Microsoft license expired too. Didn't recognize # do didn't answer. Will be blocking