Beware of the Windows Phone Scam
June 26th, 2010 9 Comments » | POSTED BY ROB
Jasmine at MoneyMagpie has a warning about a scam that she was targeted with following a call from someone claiming they were from “Windows”.
No, it’s nothing to do with double glazing, rather Microsoft’s operating system, with the caller claiming that you’ve contracted a virus.
I was contacted in this way by phone today. When the man told me this had happened I was immediately suspicious. How would Windows know? Why would they ring me to tell me? Who are these people?
When I asked him what company he was calling from he wouldn’t say. When I asked him what my IP address was he wouldn’t say. I said that if they could tell what had happened to my computer they must know what the IP address is. When he wouldn’t give me any of this information I put the phone down on him. I suggest you do too.
This scam is apparently not particularly new, here’s an interesting transcript of a call (as well as some recordings of variations of the scam) with someone claiming to be from a “Windows XP service center” which should ring alarm bells.
“Small fee”
In that particular call, the caller claimed that his victim’s computer was infested with viruses, and that for a small fee they’d remove them.
They then ask if they can connect to your PC, so not only are they potentially conning you out of an unnecessary payment, they may also potentially be able to plant other stuff on your computer.
It should always raise suspicion when people ring you from out of the blue – always question their reasons for calling, ask who they’re working for and where they’re based, and crucially, ask for a number that you can call them back on. If they give you a number, you’ve got time to go and check them out online before deciding whether or not to call them back, but more than likely they won’t want to give you a number, which should confirm your suspicions.
Have you been targeted by this or any other telephone scam? Let us know in the comments below.
photo credit: drustar
9 Comments on “Beware of the Windows Phone Scam”
This scam seems to be gathering pace. I’ve heard of five people within a small area in Edinburgh being targeted.
John Ingle, July 5th, 2010
I fell for it as I had just reported problems to Microsoft, they claimed to be from them.
They eventually said they were “itstrong” which has no bad reports on the’net.
However, one of their other names is “itezy”. This company has lots of bad reports, especially from Australia where the Trading Standards are after them. They seem to from Delhi.
Are there any reports of problems AFTERWARDS? I have run many programmes from Microsoft and others and no problem detected.
V. Woodward, July 7th, 2010
I was contacted by phone 3 times a couple of weeks ago by asian sounding people (2 males ; 1 female ) with a similar story about error reports. I am disabled and wasn’t able to keep up with the instruction being given, and then we were cut off. They did try twice more, but I didn’t play ball.
M. Belmont, July 22nd, 2010
Yes I just had a call from ‘Windows Service Center’. The Asian sounding gentleman said I had a virus in my computer. When I asked how he could possibly know that he said they have received error reports from my computer. When i would not continue he gave me a phone number to call for verification. It was only when I called it that I realised it was one digit short. 02033510. I await their next call.
H Ross, July 27th, 2010
Got this call today. From Computer maintenance dept of Windows which later changed to windows service centre. The number was 0131 208 1035 so an Edinburgh number. They seemed very keen to get access to my computer. I just said I’d googled that number and it had come up as a scam.
Herts Stag, July 30th, 2010
I just recieved a call from the very same people (Fri 30th July 2010) out of the blue. ‘Is your PC loading up slowly’ ‘is your net connection taking time to connect?’ They told me to open up my application files to view errors and warnings in exact the same way as Trackyman up there, and yes after all of that and having been told my computer was basically dying, I was then told I would have to apy a one off fee of £79 to get it fixed! Alarm bells rang of course, I told him I have no way of paying this and that is when HE GOT PUSHY – ‘do you have paypal?’ ‘do you have a credit card?’ ‘do you have a debit card?’ ‘can you use a family members card to pay if you do not have the funds yourself?’ SERIOUSLY! I hung up and disconected my phone for a couple of hours.
BE AWARE.
James, August 7th, 2010
Hi Guys,
I think all these comments are fake because i have taken the service and its actually from windows service centre.
Stuart, August 21st, 2010
I have had this many times over the last 2weeks. I usually just say really that’s strange all computers in this house are macs, they then hang up the phone
Figgles, September 6th, 2010
I (in Australia) just got one of these calls purporting to be from from the Windows Service Centre Sydney Chatswood – seemed dodgy, accent almost unintelligible, couldn’t tell me who owned the company, claimed that they’d got my phone no when I bought the computer (odd as it’s a 2nd hand machine), asked to speak to the supervisor and was hung up on. Googled and confirmed it was a scam.
