New (to Me) Microsoft Scam

[Winchester]

Just got a phone call (we don't answer the house phone) and it went to voice mail. A robo-woman said that our Windows key had expired, so Microsoft killed all Windows services to my computer. To get a new key, call blah-blah-blah. I deleted the message and life goes on.

But I just thought I'd mention it.....

 

[Willowy]

That's a new one to me, too. I wonder how many older people might fall for it. It makes no sense anyway---the keyboard has nothing to do with your computer.

I always delete any emails I get if I don't recognize the sender, unless it looks like it might be an ad for a good sale at a store I recognize. One day I decided to read all the random emails I get. It was crazy! Must have been a dozen different scams.

 

[Purr-fect]

Its very frustrating and threatening to get these calls.

These people are thieves. They literally "come in to our homes", certainly they come into our lives and daily try to steal from us.

And it seems there are no censequences to them.

 

[artiemom]

I have the habit of not answering a phone call unless, on caller ID, I know the person or they leave a Voice mail message.

I had a call yesterday from, unbelievably: ANGOLA!!!!!!!!!!! could not believe it.. of cours, I did not answer the call....unbelievable...

 

[Willowy]

The internet (and phone calls may be VOIP so they count too) causes a lot of poblems with international scams. The scammers are usually in a country with lax laws, like somewhere in Southeast Asia or Africa or Russia. The US has no jurisdiction, and wouldn't be able to find them even if they did.

Anyway, this is what I always tell people---if they want you to wire anything, it's definitely a scam. No legitimate business uses wire services anymore. If they want a money order, be wary.

My personal rule is not to engage with anyone who starts the conversation. I can't think of any legitimate reason a company would contact you to send them money.

 

[Purr-fect]

We now have ooma, a voip phone provider. Ironically even though our phone bill is now $4 a month instaed of $40, with bell canada, thankfully most of these telemarketers are now automatically screened out.

 

[kashmir64]

--the keyboard has nothing to do with your computer.

Not the keyboard..a code key. There are some programs you pay for yearly and they will lock if not paid for. Windows is not one of them.

 

[DreamerRose]

I've been called several dozen times by the "Microsoft Development Department" to tell me that my computer was sending out error codes all over the Internet. Not thinking too quickly the first time I got the call, I followed their instructions because I was at my computer, and before I knew it, they had remotely entered my computer. They said I had a bad virus and they would get rid of it for me for $200. As soon as they asked for money, I knew it was a scam because if it had really been Microsoft, they would have fixed it for free. I tried logging out and failed, so hit the on/off button and turned the computer off and hung up the phone. Ever persistent, they called back, insisting I had a bad virus. I said I would have it checked out, and they said, "They won't be able to find it!" And I thought to myself, No, they won't find something that's not there. I'm protected by the Geek Squad and they ran a scan and found nothing.

I've been called again many times with this scam. The people sound like they are from India, and many of them can hardly speak English. I've played with them, told them I don't have a computer and all sorts of other things like "Microsoft doesn't have a Development Department." Now I just sigh and hang up.