www.teamviewer.com telephone call

[jackthehat]

*This is NOT an advert*

I have just had a call from this company informing me that they have identified many viruses on my computer which are causing it to crash or freeze........

I was invited to type this URL into my computer, where I could be shown just how many viruses are currently infesting my machine. I asked what it was that he was trying to flog me and he became most indignant, reiterating that he was just trying to help me with these viruses.

I terminated the call but am wondering just what was going on. I've googled www.teamviewer, etc., so was he trying to get me to buy the software, or get me to do something on-line which would have compromised my computer's safety ?

Thankyou.

[society]

My guess is both and more...

[redcrx]

usually they ask for access to your PC so probably looking for both.

[ChuckFickens]

it's a total scam, how would they know what is on your computer.

Just ignore them.

[redcrx]

chuck, i think we know its a scam, but is jack (like me) just interested in what they are after?

[VHG]

This seems to be becomning a more serious problem. Many people are reporting cold calls from compan ies offering to fix or sort out their problems.

Computeractive magazine have been looking into this whole problem

http://forums.compute...owthread.php?t=199754

[VHG]

Teamviewer seems genuine software (but I doubt they were from teamviewer themselves)

http://www.computerac...re/2236644/teamviewer

However some of the companies are try to get you to take out some sort of "support" package on your computer so they can "fix" it remotely.

I have heard of companies saying they are "Microsoft" (or a Microsoft partner) who say they will offer to support your PC "as it is full of viruses".

Of course if you pay over the phone for this support they may be just trying to get your credit card details.

Or maybe use a product like TeamViewer to be able to "monitor" your computer and steal info from it.

[jackthehat]

Thankyou, folks.

That's what I thought. The product itself, from what I gleaned after a cursory look at the website, seems genuine enough, I just wondered why (despite his protestations that he was 'helping me') they should seek to do so on the basis of a cold-call.

I think I have enough answers now, but if anyone should care to add anything I'll probably pop back here at a later date. :o)

[R1Geezer]

Jack, you've been driving a faulty computer! Shame on you, you could have caused a bad accident, I suggest taking it offline until it can be fixed properly and no longer a danger to yourself and others.

[Aquariel]

I had one of these a few months ago - Indian man from Bradford (he said) saying they had detected many viruses on my computer due to illegal downloading. I told him he was talking b******s but he insisted I switch my computer on and he would guide me through fixing it. I told him to get lost and he told me to enjoy my viruses and hung up. They prey on gullible non-technical people who believe what they say. They usually send you to a website which either gives you fake reports of viruses or actually installs viruses on your PC. They then offer to sell you the software to fix it... All they want is your card number. They are just scum.

[franko12345]

My daughter has got this phone call twice now. They say you have a virus on your computer. They get you to look at a log file on your computer and ask if there are any errors. They say that the errors are caused by virus. They then direct you to download teamviewer. Start it up. Give them the teamviewer code and then they have access to your computer.

I don't know what they do then. My daughter is running Ubuntu so she knows it is a scam

[scamwatch]

I have the same people on the phone right this second!
Indian call centre by the sounds of it. They called me up claiming to be from "online pc technical support", saying they were calling to clean my PC and make it "more powerful".
Asked me to visit teamviewer.com and install their software. I knew it was a scam straght away, but wanted to keep them talking to see if I could get any information out of them.
Googled the url and found this thread. I tried to get them to give me their actual company name or address, but was told to hang up and they'd call me back. Not hung up yet. At the very least I want to waste as much of their time as possible.

[independentbrit]

I have had a similar call, but this time purporting to be from Microsoft, saying that they had logged a number of errors from my machine and that they need to get me to fix them. They needed me however to tell them what type of machine and operating system I was using. They also asked me to download team viewer. When I said I didn't allow remote access I was transferred to one of 'Microsoft's' senior technicians. When he couldn't answer my questions about Microsoft protocol he rang off.
Do not allow remote access to your machine.
The telephone number was 03400 9054

[Vinylosaur]

I've just received a very insistent cold call from this company. Immediately deafened by the chiming of alarm bells! Their approach is completely incompatible with that of any legitimate company, and if they are legit they desperately need to reconsider their customer relations strategy. If you are at all experienced with computers and this kind of call you can usually spot the phishers from the tone of desperation in their voices / messages - they so badly need you to swallow the bait. But for somebody less experienced (like my 79 yr-old Mum, who has just become a computer user) this kind of scamming call can pose a real threat. I recommend that if you know somebody who might be vulnerable you alert them to the danger - get them to Google the company name (as many on this forum have done) to get some idea of their legitimacy, or lack of it!

[Q-lyn]

I was called this morning by "Andrew" from Microsoft Computers Ltd who told me they had had a number of error reports from my computer and I had a Trojan Plus virus. He passed me on to "Cynthia" his senior manager (as I could not understand what he was saying) - she told me to type in "www.teamviewer.com". The phone line kept going dead while they were saying this, also the call cut off and they rang again. I do not have a computer at home, there never has been one on the premises. When I told her this she said "well why did you make me call you then?" and hung up. Just to repeat - they called me - twice - and I have never had a PC at home, I use the local library. They have never received any error reports from a PC of mine, also Teamviewer should not use my tel number, it is registered with TPS.

[Mazzy5]

I've just had an indian man call me trying this crap, i hadn't heard of this scam but i have some computer knowledge so thought it sounded dodgy from the start. He told me i have a Trojan and he needs to transfer some software to optimise my hard drive, outlook and internet explorer backup and virus removal software by logging on to teamviwer.com. i asked him questions he didn't seem to have answers to so put me through to his 'manager' stating he had explained it 10 times to me and i was making him feel like he wasn't good enough!!! lol!!

His manager got my name wrong and then refused to repeat the name he had just said then put me on hold to find the correct surname. He did give me the company name though: Online PC Genius, he had previously said Online Data Genius and changed his mind. I got the call back number of 020 3026 9827 which matches up with the website of the former company name......

So who do i report these people to?!

[FrankyR]

I just had a call too. So I have lots of viruses and you want me to download an exe and run it so you can examine my system? I questioned the guy a few times, then he put his superivisor on and I explained that as far as I was concerned they could be anyone. I said I was in IT and that it didn't look right. She said thank you and hung up. Definitely a scam of some sort. Trouble is they sound quite convincing, particularly if you're a bit innocent about PCs.

[ukcompy12]

Teamviewer is a free software that with your permission can allow access from another person via the internet, if the person is a legitimate person and you should only allow someone access you know personally and trust completely, they can't access your computer without a id and password which you can change when you wish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hq_fsdRFWSo