Windows "Support" calls

Published: 2013-12-06
Last Updated: 2013-12-06 02:09:11 UTC
by Mark Hofman (Version: 1)
16 comment(s)
One of our readers  received a "Microsoft Support" call, finally.  It was to funny not to put up.  Happy Friday
 
"Finally(!), I got one of those unsolicited telephone calls from the "Windows Service Centre".
Caller-ID information showed 'unavailable'.
 
The first caller identified himself as 'Dadge Miller' (or something like that).
He said he was calling from Microsoft headquarters in California.
I said that I thought that their headquarters was in Redmond, Washington.
He said that Microsoft has offices worldwide.
OK, I'll buy that. :-)
 
He said that Microsoft has detected computer-viruses on my computer.
After helping me find the Windows key on my keyboard, he said "press Windows key and R key at the same time".
Then, enter 'eventvwr' and click OK.
When 'Event Viewer' opened, he had me click the 'Application' tab, and said that all the "errors" and "warnings" represented computer-viruses.
OK, I'll buy that. :-)
He had me minimize the window, and back to Windows-R.
Then, enter: www.support.me and click OK.
That launched Internet Explorer, redirecting to: https://secure.logmeinrescue.com/Customer/Code.aspx
He had me enter '702814' and click 'Start Download' and then 'Run'.
Instead, I clicked 'Save' for file: 'Support-LogMeInRescue.exe'.
At this point, I said that my anti-virus software had flagged the download as "unsafe" and that it had deleted the download.
He believed me.  :-)
He passed the telephone call to "Randy Roberts", his supervisor, with an Bangledeshi accent ?!
Then, enter: www.support.me and click OK.
That launched Internet Explorer, redirecting to: https://secure.logmeinrescue.com/Customer/Code.aspx
He had me enter '352632' and click 'Start Download' and then 'Run'.
Again, I said that my anti-virus software had flagged the download.
Then, after a pause, he asked me if there was a Walmart nearby.
 
He offered me two levels of "support" -- one year for 149 dollars (currency not specified) or lifetime for 249 dollars.
I chose the "lifetime" support.   :-)
He told me to go to Walmart, and say that I want to make a Moneygram Money Transfer, citing a "personal" reason.
Recipient name: Tapan Saha (over a dozen people by this name on LINKEDIN ! Lots on Facebook, too!)
Address: Nagaripur
City: Takerhat
Country: Bangladesh.
He said that Microsoft has contracted with this provider in Bangladesh.
He said that the fee will be $299 -- $249 plus $50 for a technician to come to my home to fix my computer, if they cannot fix it over the telephone.
Nice bit of "up-selling".  :-)
 
I said that it would take me some time to get to Walmart, purchase the MoneyGram, and return home.
So, he agreed with my request to call at 1 PM local (70 minutes from the time we talked).
I have an appointment downtown at 1 PM -- guaranteed not to be home at that time!
He said that Walmart will charge me $10 for the MoneyGram.
He confirmed my telephone-number, and gave me his: 727-498-0049,
and told me to ask for "Randy Roberts" if I called him.
 
They told me to turn my computer off before I went to Walmart.
 
While I was out, at my lunch-date, my voice-mail recorded 6 messages -- all "empty" -- two from "unavailable", two from a non-long-distance number, and two from Cincinatti (Ohio).
Obviously, they were spoofing the caller-ID information, repeatedly trying to contact me.
 
M
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16 comment(s)

Comments

These folks try to pull that scam on us recently,after multiple cold calls during the mid-day my wife took down their number (Spoofed) and instructed them to call back when I was home.

They eventually did, part of their introduction scheme was to make it sound as if they were calling from my ISP or present security service.

I only went as far as the event viewer stage, then called him on typing a URL in the run command box as potentially risky! Let him know he was not dealing with a novice computer operator and that my wife (who is novice but careful) was instructed to -NEVER- follow anyone's technical service advice unsolicited without me being present.
Luck you! I had two of them in the last week.
I've had a half a dz. of these,Depending how much time I have at that moment,I play with them for a while,or I tell them "Sorry,I don't have any computers running windows", and they are aghast..."Well,what do you have?" ...I say "Ubuntu"....
The line usually goes dead right then...... :-)
If you can spare the time, be a "tarpit". The longer you're stringing them along the less time they have to work their evil ways with anyone more vulnerable. And when you've finished playing dumb and docile with them you might want to let rip with what you really feel about their despicable choice of career.
Is there any legal recourse against this type of activity?
I do exactly that every time!! :0) when I get board I love telling them that I am happy to have wasted their time and opportunity to scam someone else. ;)
I recorded a little audio from my interaction with one of these support calls. Only about 45sec.. but I had fun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y_CXFUT2cs

I try to always have a VM up and running that I can "allow" them to remote control and watch what they do. :)
And since WebSense lists both sites as "web collaboration", they must be safe....
Safe to blacklist anyway.

When I get these calls I usually harass them over the quality of their scam or script. "this windows support. we have detected you virus".

Then again, I hang up on the vendors who cold call too.
I had 7 of these in 2 days but I only let them get as far as "I'm from Microsoft and there is a problem with your computer". Then I tell them that Microsoft has said this is a scam and I'm from the Texas State Attorney General's office, Fraud Division. The line goes strangely dead at that point!
[quote=comment#28676]Is there any legal recourse against this type of activity?[/quote]

Legal course.. no,, caveat emptor... but there is a logical way to stop this and though I do not typically promote products, this one I will.. called Digitone, it can not be spoofed via VOIP, Magic Jack, cell phone, POTS, wrong numbers, UNavailable on your caller ID ect. Blocks them cold. 3 friends of mine were getting calls from scumbags like this, one even got suckered for 400.00!!! I said, get one of these, oh look... blockie.

I am amazed to see people posting and giving someone on the other side access to their PC... never going to happen on my end. You might be surprised how smart one of these "flunkies" turn out to be so why give them the chance?

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