Microsoft doesn't call out of the blue

[Phil Thien]

As some of you may know, I own a computer shop in the Milwaukee area.

Getting a lot of calls today from customers that say they have been contacted (by phone) by someone claiming to work for Microsoft. The purpose of the call is to inform the individual that their computer is infected (or has other issues) and MS needs to arrange to fix the computer which they can do remotely by loading a remote-access tool (which they walk you through).

Once they have access to the computer (yes, I had one customer fall for it), they are informed they need to send $120 via PayPal for the cleaning service.

Be advised that MS does NOT call people out of the blue and ask for remote access to their computer.

Please pass the word on to any elderly people you know that may be duped by these jerks.

[Bill Huber]

They hit the Dallas area last fall, I was getting calls for everyone I knew, I think about. I never got a call but I wish I had of, I could have screwed them up and had fun doing it.

The ones that I have a the biggest problem with is the ones that pop up when you go to some web site. It pop up and tells you that you have 6 viruses and to click here and they will clean it up. Some are easy to clean up but there are a few that you really have to work at to clean and they keep you from getting to the internet so you can't find any information on them.

I just wish I could meet some of these jerks face to face, I don't think their face would look the same when I got though.

[hank dekeyser]

Violence begets violence

[Scott Shepherd]

I had a guy I know ask me to come to his office because his computer was all messed up. I knew he had a habit of surfing more than he should. I kept asking him where he had been or what he had done and he kept telling me "nothing". After about 20 minutes of talking with him, he said "A screen popped up and told me I had a virus and I needed to download the anti-virus software now to clean it".

I explained to him that he had just downloaded the actual virus by doing that. I asked him why he would do that. He said "Because it said it was the best selling free anti virus software on the market, so I clicked it".

I said "The best selling, free?"

He said "Yeah".

I said "The best selling, free?"

He said "That's what it said".

I said "How can it be the best selling if it's free?".

You could see the light bulb go on for him. He then realized he just got scammed and downloaded the virus.

People are funny. If you saw them face to face, they'd tell you to get stuffed. But you send them an email from someone they never heard of and it's the gospel.

[glenn bradley]

There's just nothin' funnier than people. Some folks open emails they aren't expecting too, silly folks.

[ray hampton]

Microsoft do not send E-MAIL to unknown address and neither
do the BANKS

[Phil Thien]

Just got another call from someone bringing in a machine tomorrow because her husband got the call and fell for it hook, line, and sinker.