Do Windows engineers ever ring you about computer trouble?

[windywillow]

I've just had a call from someone claiming to be from Windows, telling me my computer is about to crash.

I'm very suspicious about anything like this, but is there any chance that it could have been a bonafide call?

I asked him for his telephone number and he gave me a number which is very similar to my own - when I mentioned this, he said he knew it was.

I know there are lots of scams re computers, but are any of these calls ever genuinely from Windows?

[factor-fiction]

No chance at all that it's genuine

[AB Editor]

"Do Windows engineers ever ring you about computer trouble?"

No. Never. Tell them to hop it.

[emmie]

scam i would have thought.

[DTCwordfan]

I would get my mother onto the phone - by the time she has finished, they would think that I am scamming them!

[Graham-W]

I got the same calls, even when I was running Linux. Tell them to fix that.

[Ratty2E]

It's a scam, there's been a lot of it going about. I just put the phone down on them.

[Ann]

They rang me 2 weeks ago. I told them it was a scam and she screamed at me "GET LOST LADY" and slammed the phone down .......

[wolf63]

:-)

http://i151.photobuck...20etc/MSsupport-1.jpg

[windywillow]

Thanks all. What worried me is that he told me to click on something (can't remember exactly what) and a load of information came up, including loads of red crosses/error messages I think.

[tank1960]

Lol wolf63

[HowardKennitby]

Do you have any anti-virus software on your PC?

[windywillow]

I have something called System Suite.

[Maydup]

The scam is that the caller gets you to click on something and in doing so you are directed to a website and told to download a program that hands over remote control of the computer. The caller "installs" various "fixes" for the problem (which you don't actually have) and then it's time to pay a fee.

Don't get that far but if you have clicked on anything, close it and run your anti virus scan now just to be sure.

[Ann]

Brilliant pic wolfie :)

[vodkancoke]

I tell them my Dad is a computer engineer (which he isn't) and they very quickly hang-up. It's a shame because I do like to chat.

[aelmpvw]

my 84 year old mother gets similar calls and she doesn't even have a computer

[windywillow]

Thanks Ann, and everyone else. I'm running System Suite now. Hopefully it will sort the problems out.

[MarkRae]

I usually ask them what religion they are and then, depending on their response, ask them what their religion says about telling lies...

[windywillow]

Lol @ Mark. I can't explain why but I do get a bit worried when someone tells me they have detected unwanted activity (or whatever it is they call it) on my computer.

[MarkRae]

Occasionally, when this first started and I was REALLY bored, I'd play with them but that got stale very quickly...