Was my thread deleted? Why?

:-o I started a thread yesterday in the Lounge. I got an email notice of a reply to it. Followed the email link this morning, but the thread was gone. I checked my stats: gone. I checked for the reply by user: gone.

Why?

I suppose I must have violated a rule, but I don't know what it is.

I did wrongfully include an URL & phone number to the company I was warning users about, but it was snipped out right away.

 

Because it was disguise SPAM....

 

WHAT?!

I was warning of a scam from a company that could have potentially harmed other computer users. I found the specific, traceable company responsible. I was saying to be wary of that company.

Are you saying that because I put their URL in my first post, a moderator misunderstood and thought it was spam? The URL was snipped out by a moderator immediately. I don't know why my thread would be later deleted.

Or is it believed that by saying, This company tried to scam me, & I've learned that this m.o. is used widely and internationally, I was actually spamming on their behalf? I do not understand.

I would have been glad to respond to a direct post or private message about this situation.

The thread had at least one response saying they had gotten one of these "computer tech" calls as well -- confirming what I was trying to warn people about.

I am really concerned about this. I can't learn what I did wrong unless it is explained to me.

 

Thank you, Laura. I appreciate your input and courtesy.

 

Hi Tim,
I was telling of a scam attempt that happened to me the other day. An Indian man phoned and asked for me by name, and told me that he was with "Microsoft Associates." He said my computer had been sending error messages to Microsoft and that he was assigned to fix the problem. He asked about the error messages sent, and if my computer starts slowly, freezes on web pages, IE shuts down, etc. All of this happened to be true of my desktop computer; it sent 50 error messages the day before. Several times I asked "Frank" if this was a sales call, or a service I would have to pay for, because I would not be interested in that. He ASSURED me this was a free service from Microsoft. He won me over.

Luckily, I was about to leave for an appt. when he called, so he agreed to call me later that evening. Meanwhile, I googled "Microsoft phoned me" and got hits about this scam happening all over the world. I read that some people had been directed to make changes to their computers, and/or go to a particular web site, and later discovered their computer info had been stolen, &/or viruses had been loaded, etc.

When Frank phoned again, I insisted on a phone number and he finally gave me one. I checked and found it belonged to Help PC Online. He said his supervisor would phone me in 5 minutes. "George" called me & also said this was a Microsoft service, then at some point said he was from HPCO. I begged off again, got another call the next day. This third Indian man identified himself as with HPCO. I asked if he could email me, so I could email back to arrange an appointment after I'd looked at a calendar. He reluctantly said he would, but he did not.

I count myself very lucky that I had time to research this con. I tried to be shrewd but he still snowed me pretty quickly. Most of the folks here would know better than to fall for it, but I thought it could be helpful to post a warning, and the name of the company actually behind the folks who called me.

HPCO advertises all over the web, and as for as I would know, seems like a legit company. This ploy blew me away. It may be that many con artists are using the same m.o. worldwide; there are many reports of it happening in Australia & the UK. I don't know what might or might not have befallen me, had I taken the bait from this particular group.

Just wanted others to be aware of it.

Laura and I think one other person replied to the thread. I am still puzzled as to why it was deleted.

 

Well thats really good that you didn't get scam. And just remember theres always this site before taking it into getting it fix. And theres been few things posted on this forum(me being 1) and another posted a link in (interesting links) about scams coming over the phone instead of scams online. I stated thew this before but it still happen and someone I know got a call saying they're computer was putting out a lot of spam and virus stuff to all of there friends and this person notice a lot of traffic so this person believed it and this guy came and "acted like he was cleaning the computer" when really nothing was done/added and then they were charged for this "fix"

 

Because it was disguise SPAM....

Sorry i post this in the wrong thread

 

You mean you posted originally in the wrong thread?

Yes............

 

Thanks Halo.:major I checked out your link, in your reply.

That led me on to:-
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/
Get Microsoft Security Essentials

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/default.aspx
Free download. :cool

Bazza

 

Thanks Halo. :major I don't have any issues to report on.
I thought MG readers might be interested in more on the article that you linked to, so I, hopefully, expanded a bit on it.

Bazza

 

When I read this part of your post, I thought, what if you had turned Off / Disabled
the Error Reporting Service. Then if someone calls and says that your machine has been
sending out a lot of error messages and you remember that you have disabled this
function on your computer, you would immediately be suspicious of the call. Your computer
should not or Could Not be sending error messages to Microsoft.

I have had this service disabled on my machine for over a year with no apparent ill
effects. I don't see a need for my computer to be part of Microsoft's error gene pool.

I am listing some references here about this service.
So, you decide. :wave

REFERENCES:
TheElder Geek: Error Reporting Service
Black Viper: Error Reporting Service
Wikipedia: Windows Error Reporting

Configure, Disable, Enable Error Reporting:
How To Configure and Use Error Reporting in Windows XP
Enable/Disable Error Reporting in Windows XP

 

Even if the error reporting service is enabled, it does not send personal information (like name & telephone number) to Microsoft. So if "Microsoft" calls someone about that, it is quite obviously a scam.

 

Excuse my interruption of this conversation.

I would like to announce that I have presented with an amazing opportunity. :-D

I got a Phone Call from Hollywood this morning and was offered
the leading role in the remake of a great movie classic.

The title of the movie is ......


C L U E L E S S :-o