Caller says she's from Microsoft

I received a call from a number that showed up on my caller ID as "Out of area" the lady said she was from Microsoft's Windows department and there was something wrong with my computer. She told me to go to my computer and she would give me instructions as how to correct the problem. Of course I refused to do so because I'm wondering how she even know that I own a computer.

Have anyone else received calls like this from Microsoft?

Microsoft did not call you.
A scammer did.

The caller tells you they will disinfect your computer at a very reasonable price. After (or, sometimes, before) you send the money, they tell you to click on some buttons and links, so they can disinfect your computer. However, if you do that, you give the scammer full access to your computer, and they will do nasty things, such as steal your card or bank data (if you had it on your computer), steal your contact list, and send friends phony emails. Needless to say, if you sent money, it is gone. If you gave THEM your card number, consider contacting your card issuer!

If you had put the caller's phone number in the Phone Number Search box, to your right, you would have learned that fact almost immediately.

Wow! You must be a new computer user! Is there anyone else but a new user who hasn't had these criminals call and who hasn't heard of this scam.

They are criminals. Best not to answer the phone when the number is unknown. Come to this site and you will get the low-down on the low-life out there.

https://800notes.com/forum/ta-29022e7af5a3050 ... h-your-computer Why not check here?

I received a call from this number from a man with an accent saying he was Microsoft Tech Support and that they have been monitoring MS owners.  Said there was malicious activity on my pc. I asked him how he got my number if this isn't even my PC and he said Google gave it to him.  Ironically, my Gmail account doesn't have my cell number associated with it either.  He wanted to log onto my computer to get rid of some files.  I asked how do I know who you are and, I had to laugh, because he said, because I'm telling you I'm Microsoft Support.  OK buddy... bye bye!

Uh, I have my phone linked for 2-step verification and I have never gotten one of these calls, so that really has nothing to do with it in my opinion.

One thing everyone should know...Microsoft will NEVER call you.  First off, you never give them your number when you buy your computer anyway.  Second,...they only provide support through auto updates and pay-per-call tech support.  I called them and gave them "trouble" for even calling me in the first place, which is when they explained to me that it was a scam.  The scammers try to install a remote access program on your computer,  DONT!  If you do, and like me you had nothing on your computer anyway, restoring to factory settings is a great option :)  Third,...your government has a national Anti-Fraud agency,....report the scam every time they call, via email.  Fourth,...legit telemarketers have to obey a Do Not Call Registry...Governments have that as well and I recommend that everyone put their numbers on that list as soon as they get it.  All other callers that try to sell you anything after that are breaking the law.

These fakes are from India, and they want to "fix" something on your Windows computer, and they will try to gain access to your desktop remotely, and for whatever they do they'll charge you a couple hundred dollars. They are complete scammers. They will claim to be from many different places, but most commonly someplace in Washington State near Microsoft. The caller ID will come up with a number like "208" which means nothing, and they'll say they're from Alabama, and their accent is India all they way. Don't doanything with them or for them. They'll try to convince you that they are legitimate by getting you to look at the generic messages that Windows will put in your task bar that say you've been warned about a problem. They may even send you a message themselves that they send you to convince you that they're for real. They aren't. Never believe anyone that calls you on the telephone. Windows an Microsoft will NEVER call you for any reason. By the way, neither will the IRS which is another well known scam. "This is the IRS! Don't ignore this warning! You will find yourself in deep legal trouble!" They use this wording to try and scare older people into sending them money. Again, you will NEVER receive legitimate calls from Microsoft. Don't ever believe it!

Due to the H1B program, a lot of people from India have been, and are, working in the USA.
Most of them work for a high-tech electronics or computer company, like Microsoft.

Some of them bring over their relatives, who then can't get jobs ... legitimate jobs, that is.
And if they don't want, or can't afford, to go to a college, what else are they going to do ?

Entirely possible some of them are working as scammers.
And also possible that some whose employment through the H1B program is over, or they got fired, decide to illegally stay in the US. And how will they get the money to be able to live in this country? Illegal work, like scammy phone calls claiming to be working with Microsoft to remove computer viruses. Or IRS agents.

Dear William,
Sadly you are mis-informed.
The callers for the MIcro-soft computer scam are not even located in the United States. They use VOIP (Voice over internet protpcol) to trick you into thinking they are in our country. They do not have jobs here at all. It is a scam!

I agree with you.
The H-1 people have to be highly skilled, scientists, technology experts, biomedics, PHDs or similar... because the basis of qualification for H-1 is that one has to be exceptional and provide skills that are not readily available locally.
Companies like Microsoft sets up tents in their country outside universities placement office to grab the best brain pools.
They get very high paying jobs.
The scammers are the unemployed, poverty stricken, loser types in their country who are not good academically or in any way. They hang out in internet cafes like unemployed youth anywhere with some basic technology skills, enough to pull off phone scams but not enough to land a job. LOL  Pathetic!

My favorite "Scammers" of all time! The Microsoft support techs!!

Since I can't get them all blocked, I tease and torment the ones who get through:
    1. Me: "Oh, my computer is contacting you for help? Which computer?"
        Them: "The Windows Computer"
        Me: "Um, which one, I have 5 of them"
        Them "All of them"
        Me: "Well, that might be kinda difficult as I haven't turned them on in the past 4 years..."
       Them: "Um, you haven't turned them on?"
       Me: "Nope!" They aren't even set up"
       Them: "Um...*click*"

    2. Me: "Oh, my computer is contacting you for help? Which computer?"
        Them: "The Windows Computer"
        Me: "I don't have a windows computer"
        Them: "Yes, you do it's been contacting us for help"
        Me: "Um, no, I don't I have 2 Kindles and 3 Androids, but no MS products"
        Them: "Oh then it's the Androids"
        Me: "I think not as they aren't online. Nice try though *click*"

There's an eye-opening article in today's New York Times about Disney World laying of a lot of their technicians -- who had been on the job for a while -- and replacing them with H-1Bs from India, many of whom had to be trained by the American workers they were replacing. That doesn't really seem to fit the requirements of the H-1B concept. Apparently there are loopholes.

LOL...how about telling them you have a Mac... then when they try to be Mac technicians lead them on to believe how much you like your Mac and you need your Mac daily.... "it is very important to me" blah blah blah .... only to inform them that you were describing your Mac and cheese and Big Mac or other food items.

There are both domestic and international Microsoft computer scammers, here's an example of a California company that Microsoft took down. http://www.computerworld.com/article/2861459/ ... th-lawsuit.html