I don’t usually write about scams, but had a fun phone call this morning and thought I would just put out a warning for the 1 or 2 readers out there who may fall victim to such a scam.
I got a phone call from an unknown-name, unknown number. Well, actually my wife answered the call, and when I overheard the conversation I quickly asked for the phone before she hung up – I knew immediately what the call was about and I wanted to have some fun.
The caller starts off by identifying himself as working for Microsoft, and that the reason he is calling is that he wants to protect my computer from viruses. You see, apparently my computer has been sending him error messages, kind of an SOS message, and his job is to respond to these messages and help fix the problem. Its awfully nice of Microsoft to be looking out for me like this without having to even ask.
He asks me a bunch of questions, and asks me to click on things, and explore areas of my computer. I pretend to do what he is asking and make up some answers (meanwhile i have actually walked out to my backyard and am soaking up some sun). He asks me what version of windows I am using, I, not wanting to tell him anything about me that he doesn’t already know, that If he is with Microsoft, and my computer has been sending him errors, he should know this. He rambles on about IP’s or some other garbage, then moves on. I interrupt him, telling him someone is at the door and I put him on hold. I go for a pee, get a glass of water, and chat with my wife for a moment. I come back to the call and give him some long winded story about a vacuum salesman at my door and how I don’t need a vacuum as I have all hardwood floors etc etc. We eventually get back to this great customer service from “Microsoft.”
I am now back at my computer and he eventually he tells me to go to AMMYY.com (I didn’t want to get trapped, so I took a look at Google’s cached version of the page later). (UPDATE: AMMYY is a legit company. Please see note about them at the bottom of this post). He wants me to install some remote access software – that sounds like a great idea, I am sure I can trust this stranger. He asks me to click on the download button, so I pretend to do that, and he asks me what options I have. I tell him I have two options:
1.) Install Software & Get Scammed
2.) Hang up
He then goes on to explain how this is not a scam, so I replied with EXACTLY how his scam works and he still denied it! I then ranted on how he should get a real job at McDonalds or something (but in a much more ‘colorful’ way). He said, thank you sir, started to go on again about how it was not a scam, and that is when I hung up. I have things to do you know.
So here is how this scam generally works:
- They call stating they are from Microsoft, IBM, Google, or some other big name
- They tell you that your computer has been sending them error messages informing them you have a virus. They may use words like “Service ID, Service Code”, etc.
- They get you to instal remote access software
- They then install a Trojan on your machine right before your very eyes!
- Next they tell you that it will only cost $X (I have heard anywhere from $20 to $200 per year) for their worry free service
- Now if you continue to pay them every year, you will have no problems life will go on as normal (except they may be recording every keystroke you take)
- The minute you stop, they release the Trojan and the poop hits the fan as your computer does things you don’t want it to do
- You contact them and start paying again, and they make the problem they created go away
- This cycle continues until well after you are dead (or pay a real computer tech to fix the problem)
So now you have been warned. If someone calls you claiming to be from anywhere and wants you to do anything, don’t do it, hang up and report it to your local police. I called the local RCMP and they informed me they have been getting hundreds of calls, but it sounds like most are just reporting it, not actually calls from people who have fallen victim.
UPDATE: FEBRUARY 14, 2013
Note about AMMYY.com
I was not sure if this remote access software was legit, or if it created by the scammers. But it appears now that AMMYY is an entirely legitimate company and is in fact a victim of these “call centre” scammers. AMMYY put up an official warning on their website warning people NOT to install their software if asked by someone they do not personally know. You can read their warning here: <a href=”http://www.ammyy.com/en/admin_mu.html” target=”_blank”>AMMYY Warning</a>
Thanks to Daniel who pointed this out in his comment earlier today.
i agree with you Scott. they’re pretty funny. they tell you a lot of things, make you believe them like you’re some kind of an illiterate. a total waste of time! if you go over the reports posted at http://www.callercenter.com, you’d find a lot more funny stories on how these fraudsters got busted over the phone!
i just had a phone call from the same place it sounded exactly like yours.
they call almost everyday, i loved what you did so simple.. but i don’t normally have that kinda time, i have don’t all sorts of things when speaking to them, told the i didn’t speak English ( in plain English)
told them i would turn on my computer and left the phone there and they eventually hung up,
today i was so angry i just blew into the speaker…
next time they call ill do what you did, and find out what website they belong to and report it
thanks, and your exprience made me laugh!
Oh boy, just got off the phone with these guys, but I had a totally different experience. When I said that he was talking to an IT Pro he proceeded to call me a liar and I called him on the scam and then he got colorful. I hung up on him and sure enough he calls me back. I was able to put a trace, but the number on the phone was private. He called me 5 times, on one,the number +190 500 009 8315 came up on my caller ID. When I did answer and speak he was full of colorful language. Needless to say I didn’t fall for this…I knew it was a scam from the minute he said Microsoft and YouTube.
They left me their number. I told them that I would have to have my husband call them back as it was his computer and I didn’t have the authority to download anything on to it. I tried calling their number back, and got through to a second fellow with an Indian accent who answered with “hello?”. I asked if it was the Windows Service Centre, and he replied with yes.
201-338-6142. Feel free to call them.
AMMYY is a legit company. I have used it for several vendors to remote access some of our software.
This sort of scam will only continue, laughing…. but many will buy into it without knowing the truth.
Just got this call! Indian accent & all! When I asked questions, he got huffy & then hung up!
Beware!
I just got a call from Windows. It was a lady this time and there was heaps of laughing in the background before she started speaking. I immediately said I do not discuss my computer over the phone, to which she replied, “Can we come to your home then?” The Nerve! Needless to say, I hung up in her.
Theese people keep calling me…. they don’t listen to me when I tell them I’m not intressted. I have tried being polite, rude,obnoxious and down right mean!!!
they have been harassing me for almost a year now. How do I get them to stop calling Me? I’m getting very frustrated with them!!!
I had the call yesterday from them and I fell for it and actually gave them access to my computer and there they were scrolling around on my computer right to my IP address, needless to say this has caused me alot of grief and I don’t think it’s a laughing matter. These people are not doing this for fun, they are out to steal people’s identity and money. I reported it to the local TV station and police so more people won’t fall prey like I did.
Hey I too got the same call from a man named peter joseph and his contact number is 8057441956 from windows service center and his boss name is robert james and he has licence to access anyone’s computer and his license number is rjc65056 and he is from california.
But This is a scam and fraud…Guys be very careful…tell you children also about this.
Been getting the same calls. Knew they were bogus from the start, but have been having fun with them every time. Today I asked for their number so I could call them back – 213-457-3771. They answered with just “Hello” – not very business-like or professional – the first 2 time the person on the other end could not hear me. Then the “supervisor” called me back – Brett. I strongly suggested they remove my number from their list or I would be reporting this to the police.
We will see how effective this is. Probably no more so than it has been with “This is Rachael from Credit Card Services …”
Same Scam. Indian, from the Windows Service Center, receiving error messages from my computer. asked me to turn on computer, follow sequence of key strokes. I pretended to do as requested, while continuing to work on a history paper.
caller ID – COMPUTER HELP 402.872.9195 – asked where he was calling from – “Boston”. possibly Boston, Nebraska :>)
I warned rest of family… be aware.
Just got the same thing – too bad – she sounded honest – and, frankly, because she had an accent I wanted to trust her – but it was clearly a scam – and the windows service center should be ashamed of themselves. I know some senior citizen is getting ripped off by them right now – capital punishment for them – !
I just got scamed for 1500.00 this week from the windows service center. I went to the bank and got my money befor they did. I always asked myself how could this happen, but now i can understand they were so good.
I am so sorry to hear that Liz, I hope others managed to see this article before the scam got them.
Just got off the phone with these A**holes. I knew it was a scam, but asked questions until foreign accented “Jack Wilson” from the “Windows Service Center” in “Guelph Ont” got tired of answering me. My call display shows 510-943-3040, and he gave me No of 1-800-346-7766. The fact that they can continue to do this with apparent impunity really disturbs me. Everyone in the legitimate business of providing these people with access owe all of us some major coordinated action to shut them down. Mark me down as a willing court witness. We all pay our service providers a pile of money and they could use some of it to clean this up.
Amen Herb! It is incredibly incompetent of our government to allow this to continue unabated.
I talked to one of these guys……went through the process of gaining access to a computer, but ended the conversation when money was asked for to fix errors. Got another call a few weeks later and got extremely angry with the guy this time and could not beleive the words the came out of the Indian guys mouth…..he said he would violate my daughter and mother….I called him every swear word in the book and he just kept shooting the same evil verbage back. I also said I would report him to the FBI and he just laughed and continued spewing hate. Whatever country they’re from, these guys are scum at the lowest level.
Wow, thank you. I got a call but had an apointment so i told him to call me back later Cause I thought it would help, thanks to you i know now what to Do. Nice xD
I just heard from them in Ohio. I talked to them for the longest time. The english was very broken. I apologized that their accent was very heavy and asked for another person. The supervisor came. The whole time, they tried to get me to RUN a program that would give them remote access. I pulled up a YouTube video while talking to them and watched how they do it. So I kept telling them that it “looks like my security system warns against it. I see an alert saying running this program could allow a 3rd party remote access.” The supervisor kept telling me he would connect me to their technician. Yet he didn’t. I asked what the technician’s name is. after a long pause… ‘MARK HAMMIL’ ha! No lie. I asked if they could please connect me to Mark Hammil before I click on the okay button. The guys said yes, but after I clicked okay and got to the place i was supposed to be. mark hammil is very busy and he cannot take my call until the supervisor shows me what to do. He insisted my computer virus problems were serious and my Microsoft software is sending out things that are very bad. Really? So my computer is causing a virus for other people? yep. I kept asking to speak with Mark Hammil. Nope. The supervisor started yelling at me saying that he would not allow me to speak to Mark Hammil until i pressed OKAY. Went around and round for 5 more minutes. He threatened to hang up the phone and I would never speak to Mark Hammil ever, if I didn’t press OKAY. I was tickled pink by his threat. He was angry and after the 3rd time he threatened to hang up… he did. I told him to have Mark Hammil call me back. LOL.
Oh hell that was beautiful! Nice work Bakita!! Loved it
The best way to shut them down is to get the word out to a wider group of readers – perhaps to Red Tape at nbcnews.com etc – it is just such a sham –
Simon
Received the same phone call/scam– Indian accent on the other end of the line. Windows service center. “where are you located, India?” “No, Brooklyn, NY”. No caller id . “Anonymous”. But then he gave me a phone number–… Very sincere sounding. etc..
Appreciate seeing all the comments above.
Amnon – glad you didn’t fall for it – Shabbat Shalom!
Ammyy have since put up warnings around their front page, warning people of the scams that are happening and telling them not to install it if anyone they don’t know personally asks them to. I guess that’s all they can do to protect their reputation. The scammers will probably just switch to the next tool, or host a copy themselves, though.
Just got this call, on a saturday morning, 08:50am.
“This is Microsoft service center. Your ordinator (computer: funny… ordinateur is the french word for it and I live in a french speaking area!) is under threat from a virus. Let us help you with this! What is the version of your Windows software?”
“I am running Ubuntu Linux 12.04…”
Click.
I just got a call I know microsoft is not so nice to give free service call, that crazy. When she could not tell me which windows system sent the error I know it was a scam. the number that called me was from Auburn, WA 253-802-03308
they were good technically, they solved all my problems of my computer without taking any money which is very good from my point of view.
At this time it seems like Drupal is the preferred blogging platform available right now.
(from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?