Do Microsoft Do This?

Today, I received a phone call from a person claiming to be from Microsoft. I live in the UK and the person had the accent of a person from the Indian sub-continent. They said they weren't Microsoft but had been contacted my Microsoft. I have put their phone number into a Google search and they come up as fakes. I knew Microsoft wouldn't contact me like this. Let's face it Microsoft don't voluntarily contact you with free help! Anyway, they told me to check my computers CLSID. Two things concern me. One how did they know my CLSID which they correctly quoted. Two how did they know my computer had loads of errors in Event Viewer.

They wanted me to give them remote access to my computer. Obviously, I didn't.

What matters know is what happens next?

Obviously, I need to find if there's anything wrong with my computer and if there is how to fix it.

I'm really concerned about this and to be honest a little freaked. What do I do?

 

It's just one of many similar scams. (google Ammy scam) Microsoft never 'cold' call anyone, nor do they ever get anyone to do so on their behalf.

The CLSID they got you to check would have been one commonly found on a Windows OS.
Event Viewer generally will show many errors and warnings, the majority of which can be ignored.
So all they're doing is being Captain Obvious in asking about these things, but obviously conning enough PC users that are not terribly tech savvy and unaware of the scam.

edit:
If your PC is running fine don't worry about it. They certainly have no knowledge of how it's running.
If they call again either hang up or have some fun and run them round in circles and waste their time.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Fortunately, I treat all phone calls as 'suspicious' until I'm satisfied it was a bona fide call. But these guys were persistent. I knew Microsoft wouldn't cold call. When I've wanted any help before they always want my money before they give help. So, getting a phone call from Microsoft was about as believable as the tooth fairy dropping by. I told them I knew they weren't Microsoft or their agents, called them liars, and hung up. They rang straight back saying hey why did you hang up we're helping you.

My concerns were raised because they were able to quote this number. Both your response, which I appreciate, and my report of the incident to Microsoft have convinced me that they haven't obtained some unique number from my PC.

I never look at Event Viewer from one year to the next. So, I didn't know whether to be concerned seeing a lot of errors or whether that was just routine.

When it was confirmed that my PC had errors they transferred me through to the Engineers. Further proof this was a scam: my call went straight through. Now, when does that ever happen? If you're waiting to be transferred you wait and wait and, well you get the picture. When I was put through to the engineer, I said "so I've got a problem, what's the solution?" As you will no doubt guess they never answered that question. They did however, want me to give them remote access to the PC. Obviously, I didn't do that and hung up again.

They rang back but this time I let the phone ring and didn't answer it.

I'm glad to hear that my PC is most likely OK and thanks for your timely response _nullptr.

I hope my experience, posted on here, might help others not to be scammed. I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person but they just started to convince a little that they might be genuine. We can all get caught out if we let our guard down.

 

My mother inlaw call me about the same situation. She said they tried to have her enter some long string of characters, but as she is not computer savy, she couldn't retell the exact events or steps they were telling her. She wasn't going for it either.
I wish they'd call me, I'd love to see what they want to do, heck I might even boot up a burner system and let them have at it.

 

What's a burner system?

I wish I'd been able to give them the runaround too.

Unfortunately, the rang early and woke me. These days my physiology is reptilian: it takes time for systems to warm up and get going! So, I wasn't as alert as I needed to be

 

There was another tread here about the same thing( or extremely close to the same thing).

 

>> Today, I received a phone call from a person claiming to be from Microsoft. I live in the UK and the person had the accent of a person from the Indian sub-continent. They said they weren't Microsoft but had been contacted my Microsoft. Fortunately, I treat all phone calls as 'suspicious' until I'm satisfied it was a bona fide call. But these guys were persistent. mark59 <<

_nullptr is absolutely right... It's most definitely just one of the numerous similar scams out there nowadays.

The best thing to do in any situation like this is to never pick up the phone at all in the first place. Unless I'm actually expecting a call from someone who I already know like a relative or friend, etc I always have my phone set with the ringer off and the answering machine on; but with the volume turned down. The answering machine has a led flashing/blinking red light when calls come in and I check to see if there are messages throughout the day. Whoever it is; that is legitimately calling me, I mean - they can wait until I can get back to them later on in the day. This "Ill be sure and get back to you later on" method works especially well for when telemarketers; or anyone else for that matter, try to call and bother me during dinnertime or even at night.

In my case, I actually started doing this after a rash of 'persistent' telemarketer calls. After researching a bit I found out that the absolute worse thing you can do when a telemarketer calls (besides giving them your personal info or credit card number, of course) is to pick up the phone and keep talking. Even if you don't buy anything, they put your number on a 'sucker list' which notes that you actually picked up and answered their call and therefore will likely pick up the phone if called again. They sell this sucker list to other telemarketing companies; who will then call and bother you again and again.

Side Notes: I also signed up for the National Do Not Call Registry which offers registration for consumers in order to stop most of the telemarketers from calling. (United States, for-profit commercial calls only). In the UK (United Kingdom) there a similar Do Not Call Registry: however they actually call it: The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) which is a 'U.K. ONLY' opt-out telephone list that is intended to prevent telemarketing calls to those who do not wish to receive them.

Good Luck! - COMP

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Do not Call list does shit sorry to say these telemarketers find there way around every thing.I have had some Strangest numbers pop up on my caller id even though your on the Do not call list they still call any way they just make a new number to call from.Best thing i have found is to tell them to stop calling.Worked so far for me.I think that Do not call list is what drives them telemarketers to call you in the first place.There have been many complaints about the DNC i must say and i think there right.

 

A burner, testbed, honeypot, or sandbox - a system that I can afford to experiment with, sometimes a real machine other times a virtual machine that has no real 'value' if I have to nuke it afterwards.

Burner from all the spy shows- ie burner phones are phone you use and toss.

 

I agree with most of this. Personally I do prefer to answer calls especially as I have caller ID so I can tell who is calling.

We do have the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) in the UK. My telephone number is registered with them. However, there is still a problem with TPS. Mainly, they deal with sales calls. If I get a call I ask them to provide me with the full details of their company so I can report them to TPS. This has one of two results. Either they hang up or they claim they're not selling. So, I ask them why they're ringing and that normally gets rid of the rest. Another major problem with TPS is that they can't do anything about calls originating outside the UK. Basically, TPS isn't of any great use.

What happened to me was a new experience for me. These people rang straight back even after I'd terminated the second call. I did in fact ingnore their third call, which was straightaway.

 

Can't agree with that. TPS is far from wholly effective, and they don't have any enforcement powers either, but my experience has been a huge reduction in such calls, so imo it's well worth being registered.

 

I am registered with TPS. I have many friends and family registered with them per my recommendation. I would recommend them. However, it's becoming less useful. When I originally registered it cut down the calls I didn't want to zero. Now, the types of calls I do not want are gradually creeping up again. TPS may reduce the number of calls you receive but there's still a lot that will get through. Thus, I think TPS needs to be improved or an alternative put in its place. Obviously anything can only be reactive, the hoaxers, scammers, etc. will always be in the lead.