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These have been reported for along time now but today was my first time on the telephone with one of these
Microsoft Engineers reporting errors on my computer. So i want to show you what they said and what they do.

THIS IS A SCAM AND THIS IS A WARNING TO YOU !!

There game is to gain full access to your computer and gleam any information from it you may have on there from contacts to passwords.
Imagine the worst and it can happen. And when you think you have disconnected from there connection they can still gain access because they would have dropped a program on your pc allowing it and modifying your firewall to accept it as a friend.

Step 1
You will receive a call telling you that there are errors on your computer, they can fix these errors, that could be caused due to a virus on your computer you would have obtained from browsing the internet. (Possible) And they can show you these errors with out a connection to your computer.

Step 2
For me this was a transfer to the engineering department who can they talk you through the errors and what can be done to fix them. So they will wait as you start up your computer and log in to your desk top. The following instructions may be diffrent as there are many ways to the same get the same result.

I was Advised to press the windows key + R (This is to bring up the Run Command box).
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I was then Advised to Type in the box eventvwr
This is the Event Viewer short cut.

Now I am looking at the Event Viewer and advised to double click on Administrator Views.
The Click on Custom views and wait. Ive already been primed that anything over 50 is bad and needs attention.
Wow 8,759 Errors and Warnings !!!



Bull Rubbish, this is normal for any Pc day to day running, its not effecting my activities in anyway and wont.
In the image below you will see ive Highlighted a Warning and a Critical Error.

Critical error is because i pulled out a memory stick and it didn't like it.
Warning is the driver can not be loaded for the usb stick (Because its not there any more lol).


Step 3
Now i'm supposed to be really worried and need there help that is going to cost £60 to fix the errors. Which remember are probably viruses i have collected along the way, even though i have a paid for Firewall, and Antivirus Software on my computer which include Mall-ware scanners. So I know this "Engineer is talking absolute rubbish"

Once again its windows key + R



this time i'm to type into the bar the name of a remote connection website, there are many so its not worth mentioning an individual one, its was a free one, and a legit site, however that would be used to make the connection and send there silent connection program over without our knowledge, or a key logger that records your key presses and then also sends password information to them.

At this point I Informed the Microsoft Engineer that i was an I T Engineer and he was talking absolute rubbish.
The phone went dead.


I hope this has been informative and helps you to avoid such fake scams.
If you have been subject to this and you think they may have a remote connection you need to get it investigated.
You need to have any remote service removed or you could be giving away passwords or even bank details.
You can drop me a private message if you wish to resolve this privately.

Another example Not me.

[youtube]tYgc8zoeISE[/youtube]

And another one more like the one i had

[youtube]hSFRtPus3DQ[/youtube]

As you can see prices will vary but if you have friends or family ask them, never ever let any one you do not trust remote connect to your computer. Or you may as well give them your bank card and passwords.

I tell them "you are not from Microsoft" then ask them their location and tell them "you are not phoning from that location", they initially try to play it cool saying that I cannot tell - I just repeat it - eventually they loose their rag and call you every four lettered word under the sun which I take as a win

Thanks for going to the trouble of putting all this info up. I have had calls in the past going back years. Interesting to know what they are trying to get you to do. In the end if you say you're in IT or work for a well known fruit company, they give up.

Thanks Mark.

I was at my dads home several years ago, around 2000, when he answered the phone to an asian sounding gent. My dad couldnt understand him, he is deaf, and passed the phone to me. The gent proceeded to go through the same type of thing noted by Mark telling me there was a problem with my dads computer and asked to be allowed to access the pc remotely. Having been given instruction on how to allow him to do this he told me there appears to be a problem accessing the computer.
Hmmm, I said, its strange that you can say there is a problem with the pc but now you can't access it? I then proceeded to call him, though not this politely, a sham liar for the simple reason that my dad does not nor never has owned a computer. They are opportunist scammers. I am an old lapsed microsoft accredited engineer and these sort of scams have been around since Windows 3.11. If you have any doubt seek advice from a known local source, even if it has to be the likes of PCWorld.

Interesting to know the actual steps, thanks Mark.

I've had a couple of these at work, some I play along with, and others I just say i've got Linux, can you help me.

I get about one or two a week and now just say I'm not interested and put the phone down.

I used to play along with them, wasting their time until I tell them I have a Mac, but although this is fun in a way, I grew bored with it and now simply terminate the conversation.

Had one of these not so long ago. Acted dumb and went along with everything they were telling me to do. Ended up with them hanging up on me because i was using my microwave instead of laptop. They probably thought i was the most stupid person on earth, i actually just had the time to kill and felt like playing games.

I had one today and just played along to waste his time whilst I was having a cuppa , then decided at the end to use Marks line on the grounds that hopefully they may keep a list of people who announce they are 'microsoft engineers'. He put the phone down pdq. Interesting to see if mine stop as we were getting them fairly regularly.

ps I wasnt being rude by the way Mark, I know you are the real McCoy!

Well aware of this myself, thank god. I just give them a load of foul abuse from the off until they put the phone down. It doesn't half make me feel better. I have to tone it down if the missus is in the room though. Big Bravo Zulu Mark.

I was getting these regularly and depending on what else was going on I would play them along or just get rid of them. TalkTalk have made call barring free. You simply dial a code immediately after the nuisance call and the caller will in future get engaged tone. It works but only if the caller uses a recognisable number so out of area ones cannot be stopped.Every little helps though.

had 1 yesterday I asked him for his contact details his Microsoft service pass number he stutterd and hung up

Have a whistle by the phone just for these calls and calls where the line is dead when you pick up works great

I just hang up on them.Had one the other day.