Microsoft: There is something wrong with your computer...

I fell for this the first time -doh!, and gave them access to my computer for about 20 min, then I clicked and shut it down. I have since just replaced the hard drive and then the screen broke, so I don't use it at all now. It was 6 months ago. I have 2 other computers.

Another indian dude called me today and tried again, I just told him to P off. He just kept calling me back and calling me back and has promissed to fly over here (UK) tomorrow to 'see me'. lol. He had stopped pretending to be from Microsoft by this point.

He was after my age/date of birth and marital status now. I asked him why he would just say "I have a purpose" but wouldn't say what. I kept hanging up and he kept calling back. He had my address and post code, I don't know how. I guess he wanted to reset some passwords online.

It strikes me that this person is less than honest. tut, tut.

If someone PHONES YOU never 'confirm your details'. That is for when you phone them

i got a call from 510-943-3040  asking me to type in " eventvwr " into my run command.  There is a news story about this computer scam.

yeah thanks for this, my mate just got the call so i googled it.
just wanted to say your story is a little silly first you say "I am a linux user" and then you say "(I only activate windows, I never register it" if you are activating linux lol i think you have more problems then a simple phone scam.

I just got a call and when he asked me to key in a website (after we went through the event viewer and I know this computer has viruses so I thought another use had clicked on send report to Microsoft so it made a bit of sense), I asked for a phone number so I could call him back. I then looked up the phone number (on my Mac) and got this listing of "scam" messages.  When I didn't call back, he called me and asked why I didn't call back. I said because I found out it's a scam and thank you very much but I didn't need his help, and I hung up. He called right back and asked how I could prove my words, etc. etc, and I hung up again. He was getting abusive too. Then I shut down the PC after I cancelled the "run" box.

Microsoft warns of growing computer scam

If you get a phone call from someone wanting to help you fix a computer security "threat," hang up fast. The call is likely part of the latest scam targeting computer users.

Microsoft Corp. on Thursday released findings of a survey that found 15 percent of consumers in four English-speaking countries, including the U.S., have received the calls.  Microsoft surveyed 7,000 computer users in the U.K., Ireland, U.S. and Canada; 15 percent of those surveyed said they had received such a call.

The scam works like this: Someone posing as computer security engineer calls people at home and warns they are at risk of a computer security threat. The scammers say they are providing free security checks and claim to represent legitimate companies; they use telephone directories to call their intended victims by name.

Of those who received a call, 22 percent were tricked into following the caller's  instructions -- permitting remote access to their computer, downloading software code provided by the criminals or providing credit card information and making a purchase.

Of those who fell for the scheme, 79 percent suffered some sort of financial loss; 17 percent said they had money taken from their accounts; 19 percent reported compromised passwords and 17 percent were victims of identity fraud. More than half  said they suffered  computer problems as a result of the incident.

The average amount of money stolen was $875, ranging from $82  in Ireland to $1,560 in Canada. The average cost of repairing damage caused to computers by the scammers was $1,730 and  a whopping $4,800 in the U.S.

The Guardian newspaper in Britain reported that the scheme has been around since 2008 but has been growing in scale in the past year. The Guardian said the scam is being run by call centers based in India.

http://www.ajc.com/business/microsoft-warns-of-growing-978452.html

Just received a call from a private #, very hard to understand (East Indian), also telling me that I have an infection in my MS.  I told him if I had a problem showing up I wouldn't deal with him anyway and hung up.

Yes, my mother in law (elderly) has received the same call several times. At first we thought they were targeting seniors. He claimed to not be selling anything and told her she had a virus through "windows" and tried to talk her into going into her computer so he could tell her how to download a "fix". Thankfully we got her a MAC and when he realized it was a MAC he hung up on her.
He did call again several days later but I'm not sure if he realized it was the same number but she said it was the same man, assuring her he wasn't selling anything. She asked her name be removed from the list as well.
The number on the phone came up as "unavailable" in her missed calls list and incoming calls list.

Just got the same call ON MY CELLPHONE number!!!!  Guess they didn't figure out yet that internet VOIP calls can get rerouted to cells either.  Calls are being generated in India using internet VOIP technology and rerouted to North American land lines.  Numbers and names come from phone books or on-line 411 databases.  They also buy lists from companies with whom you may have done business in the past.

There are organizations very busy tracking these scumbags down.  The main culprits are overseas, but they are not safe from prosecution and justice will come to them.  Associates of these criminals have already been tracked in North America, main land Europe and the UK.  

A number of their websites have already been shut down and reverse tracking is improving at a rapid pace in order to stop them in their tracks.  Bank accounts associated with these criminals have already been identified and we are tracking the money path.  Once the hammer comes down, India will not be the place to hide for them.

Have you noticed that since Amerika has been outsourcing jobs, (LIKE 1800 SERVICES), to other countries like China & India that the attempted & successful number of ID thefts continue to increase perpetually.  DUH!!   (That and the fact that the service sucks as bad as the lame accents and attitudes.)  And people are wondering why so many of these scammers sound Chinese or Indian.  We just gave countries that are poorer than us & who pretty much hate Americans the keys to our personal NFO.

I am disgusted that America has 'sold out' to this kind of B*llSh*t.

I had this happen to me in toronto in june 2011.. its a scam. i hung up on the man.. blocked number

no i did not call any one been having this calls for sometime now about one year always say the samething to them sory i dont have any computers in this hous then they go quicly

I also got the call here in Barrie Ontario. East Indian guy insisting that I go to my computer and he will talk me through the problem. He claimed to be from The Repair Zone (certified Microsoft people). I asked for a call back number where he could be reached and the [***] hung up. Private Name/Private Number.

i want to know that are micro soft diclare any  prize  . i recive three letter for winning prize for expand using of net.one letter from microsoft financial depart.they sayi win 1500.000 pond & hp laptop
now demanding   Rs 18350  on ur microsoft name .they are using ur name
please tell me this  is real or fraud.

I keep getting these calls too from these guys with Indian accents who claim to work for Microsoft Windows. They even called my Mom and tried to tell her that her computer was running slow and showing errors but the joke was on them. My Mom doesn't even own an computer. I wonder how many people fall for these stupid scams. Some of the callers are very aggressive. It's amazing that these scammers can't be stopped!!

I can't imagine who would fall for these scams but you are right when you say that there are some who get scared when they hear the word virus.These Scammers are very pushy and if a person who isn't knowledgeable about computers follows their instructions to look into the event viewer they will see warnings there and I can see how that would probably alarm the 1% of callers who fall for these scams. It must be a profitable business because these people are relentless. I figure if they weren't getting anywhere at all with this scam they would find some other way to steal people's money!!! I wish there was some way to stop these THIEVES!!!