Have you or someone you know received a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Windows support? Don’t take it seriously.
In this age of modern technology, scammers are finding increasingly creative ways to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. These scammers love to prey on the fears of people who don’t have the technical expertise to protect themselves.
In this latest scam, the perpetrator calls someone and claims to be from Microsoft Windows Support. He tells the unsuspecting person that her computer has been infected with some malicious software and this has been detected by Microsoft Windows Support.
The reality is that Microsoft would not call customers to inform them that there is a problem with their computer. Let’s face it; Microsoft is not that helpful. You would be better off calling a company that has its own Microsoft Windows Support division.
The intent of the scammers is to convince you that your computer is infected and to sell you service that will fix your computer. They gain your trust by having you follow certain instructions on your PC. They take the information you search for and explain how it “proves” that your computer is infected.
Be suspicious of calls from someone claiming to be from Microsoft Windows Support
The reality is that everything they find is normal, such as error messages that are stored in the Windows Event Manager. All PCs have these types of errors to some degree. The scammer will react in such a way as to convince you that this is not normal. He may even access old certificates to convince you that your computer had not received the proper security updates since the certificate expired.
Once the “urgency” of the need to correct the situation on your computer is established, the scammer will attempt to sell you service that will supposedly fix the problem, which probably doesn’t exist in the first place. The program they use to clean up your computer could very well be legitimate, but it will most likely be free software you can download yourself, and it is often outdated and not very powerful.
When you receive an unsolicited call like this, the best thing is to just hang up. Anytime you receive an unsolicited call from someone you don’t know trying to “help” you, you should be very suspicious of it, especially if they want money or personal information.
If you do suspect you have a problem with your computer, or if you just want peace of mind, don’t accept help from an unsolicited stranger. Instead, seek out help from a legitimate and trusted company that offers Microsoft Windows Support online or over the phone.
