Virus phone scam being run from call centres in India

Virus phone scam being run from call centres in India
Britons targeted by cold callers pretending to be from Microsoft phoning to fix a fake computer problem
Charles Arthur guardian.co.uk, Sunday 18 July 2010 20.48 BST

The scam always starts the same way: the phone rings at someone's home, and the caller – usually with an Indian accent – asks for the householder, quoting their name and address before saying "I'm calling for Microsoft. We've had a report from your internet service provider of serious virus problems from your computer."

Dire forecasts are made that if the problem is not solved, the computer will become unusable.

The puzzled owner is then directed to their computer, and asked to open a program called "Windows Event Viewer". Its contents are, to the average user, worrying: they look like a long list of errors, some labelled "critical". "Yes, that's it," says the caller. "Now let me guide you through the steps to fixing it."

The computer owner is directed to a website and told to download a program that hands over remote control of the computer, and the caller "installs" various "fixes" for the problem. And then it's time to pay a fee: £185 for a "subscription" to the "preventative service".

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres

It's important for people to know about this.

be verified by calling a corporate # of your choosing.

Don't trust and verify !

Even with non-computer stuff: I once overheard a coworker give out his SSN to an unsolicited call.

:shrug:

They simply provided smart and evil people another way to fleece the gullible from their cash.

then reel'em in.

I'd never fall for this - because I've had my fill of offshore nitwits at work - I absolutely refuse to listen to them at home

I act really stupid and waste loads of their time.

Mr. csziggy jerked the guy around for about fifteen minutes before he let him get off the phone. About a week later they called back and I pretended to be concerned but busy and I talked him into giving me a phone number so I could return the call when I was able. Both calls were immediately reported to the Do Not Call list site with additional information that they were running some sort of scam.

When I searched for the two different phone numbers I found hundreds of complaints about these guys. I didn't save the information, but they must be getting customers to continue doing this.