help - call from "windows" saying someone is trying to access my laptop?

[titferbrains]

just had a long call - came up as international - from someone indian saying that windows has been sent reports that someone has been trying to access my computer, that they may have been reading my emails etc.

Not sure what to do or how to verify that it is indeed from windows. They asked me to open various files on the computer which pulled up some error reports from a source called "Bonjour Service" and he said those were the files that showed the activity.

I asked to speak to a manager, another indian with an English name which I've taken down. He said I could call a toll free number but that began with 0061 which is the code for australia. He didn't understand at first when I asked for his title, then eventually said he was a manager technician. He said he was calling from Glasgow and that the call appeared to be international because he was calling from an international routing centre. He tried to get me to connect to webpage so they could "show me" the activity where someone had used my laptop or whatever by taking me to the AMMYY homepage - I stopped short of letting them use my laptop remotely.

They have called a few times and I hung up a couple of times thinking it was sales calls. There is not much noise in the background when they call, just a few voices.

I don't have an antivirus program running right now but going to put one on this aft. Really not sure whether to believe this or not!

[Scootergrrrl]

Scam. Scam. Scam.

They are trying to get remote access to your computer AFAIK to hack bank details and so on.

[titferbrains]

Eek. So if they continue to call what should I say. And how do they get my name number and info about my computer?

[ivykaty44]

and how did windows have your phone number? Then how did windows have your phone number and your security code matched up?

No they are chancers, they rang my nan and told her the same - only she doesn't have any other type of windows than you look out off. They chance the call that you will have a pc running and it runs on windows - would you believe them if you had a mac or apple?

[TLD2]

If they keep calling say you know it's a scam. Simple.

[Grumpla]

SCAM.

If they call again tell them you have already contacted the police about them and will be recording any future calls to submit as evidence. That should get rid of them.

Then make sure your antivirus etc is up to date. If in doubt and you don't have any techy mates who can have a look then take it to a local IT shop and have it checked by them.

They have bought your name and number in a big long list, they make the rest up, the files are planted by malware of some sort or are pop-ups from the website they took you to. It's convincing stuff but definitely a scan. Windows is NEVER going to call you.

If you're a member of Which? they have a good IT helpdesk you can call, might be some free info on their website as well.

[TLD2]

Think of it this way, if someone knocked on your door and asked to come in and look around, as they'd heard you'd had a break in would you let them?

[titferbrains]

Can I report the call to anyone? to windows or is there an organisation that can stop scammers?

[titferbrains]

Thanks so much for prompt helpful replies everyone. Glad I didn't carry on following their instructions!

[MangoMonster]

Have had this, it's a scam. Do you really think ms would call individual customers?

[titferbrains]

thanks. am obviously clueless about all this hence posting on here!

[BadgersPaws]

Another vote for scam....

If you are running Windows as well as making sure that you're anti-virus is up to date also make sure that your malware scanner is also up to date, the two are not quite the same things.

If you don't have a malware scanner you can download a good free one from here:
//www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

[mopsytop]

The files are files that are already on your computer anyway. They are not malware! They will be on any computer. THIS IS A SCAM!!!! They get your number from any old list, phone book or whatever and call you. DON'T give them any bank details!

I get a call from these jokers at least once a day. There is no way your ISP would give out your phone number and how would Microsoft have your number anyway? They don't know what address error reports are coming from. It is nonsense. They are calling from India and use made up British names.

[mopsytop]

p.s. There is nothing that can be done to stop them as it is happening out of India. I like to lead them a little dance sometimes. I ask them for their company name and address and phone number, then they say no I will call you back and I say no I want to check on google that they are legit. They don't like that! I also ask them questions like how on earth could an error message report lead to them having my number (impossible) to see what they say. They don't like that either!

[said]

Once you're over the annoyance, just have fun playing with them and wasting there time. Tell them you're watching them, they usually hang up on you that way

[said]

their

[mopsytop]

Check this out: www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres

[CoffeeRevel]

These people were call me all the time. I kept telling them not to, and that I knew it was a scam, and it went on and on. Last time I told them they were talking crap as I had a Mac - and he put the phone down without another word. I havent heard from them since

[ivykaty44]

Can I report the call to anyone? to windows or is there an organisation that can stop scammers?

Trading Standards www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm

[mopsytop]

Like it says in the Guardian article I linked to, it seems the only thing to do is to hang up, as the police and trading standards are powerless.

[ivykaty44]

trading Standards can't stop them - but they can make it more and more public what is happening so the scammers aren't able to scam innocent people.

I am not in the phone book, the Electroral role and I never use my real name on the internet, even facebook I use an alias (facebook let my mobile numebr go to a company that sold it off again to others). Which works really well for bogus calls as they use my alias name and I know I can hang up immediately rather than listen to find out what the call is about, or I just say no such person you must have a wrong number.

[mopsytop]

I am not either - when they ring they say is this Mrs. X (my husband's name, not mine) so I know it's either a marketing call or a scam. They annoying thing is that we are on TPS but it doesn't work for abroad :( Get SO many annoying calls. Wrecks my head. Often just don't bother answering now during the day. And they always say 'It's not a marketing call' and then it IS! Grrr.

[mopsytop]

p.s. can't believe facebook sold on your number - doesn't that breach their privacy policy? I don't have mine on FB for that reason ...

[ivykaty44]

well my mobile number I had never given out anywhere else, and it was the same name asked for on the phone as I used at that time on fb -so I guess it had to be them. I had to give the mobile number to add photographs to my profile they said to check I was genuine. I hadn't as such put my mobile number on face book - just given it as a security question.

[ivykaty44]

I got feed up with TRS not working on the home phone and BT charging so much for the line rental - I got ride of the landline. I changed my name on facebook and the mobile calls seemed to also stop. i do get debt text messages and a religious one came through the other day - but at least mostly they have been erradicated

[mopsytop]

I hate when they do that :( It's so annoying. Google keeps trying to get mine. But I won't put it in.