“Microsoft” Service Centre/Technical Support Scam

Another nasty scam doing the rounds in recent months/(years?) is an unsolicited phone call from someone saying they are calling from Microsoft’s Service Centre or IT Support.

They will say something along the lines of they have detected a problem with your PC – something that you will not be aware of yourself.  They will want a payment by dredit card to help you download and install some software onto your PC to fix the problem.

Of course they are not calling from Microsoft at all but are (obviously) criminals intent on stealing money via your credit card (and installing something nasty on your PC that you didn’t actually have in the first place).

Just to confirm: Microsoft will never call you out of the blue to help you fix your PC!

Do NOT proceed with anything if you get such a call. Just hang up and ignore it.

Here is Microsoft’s statement on the scam:

Microsoft does not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer

In this scam cybercriminals call you and claim to be from Microsoft Tech Support. They offer to help solve your computer problems. Once the crooks have gained your trust, they attempt to steal from you and damage your computer with malicious software including viruses and spyware.

Although law enforcement can trace phone numbers, perpetrators often use pay phones, disposable cellular phones, or stolen cellular phone numbers. It’s better to avoid being conned rather than try to repair the damage afterwards.

Treat all unsolicited phone calls with skepticism. Do not provide any personal information

If you receive an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Tech Support, hang up. We do not make these kinds of calls.

Link: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security/online-privacy/msname.aspx