Windows Security Scammers are Back
Well they’re back. The Windows Security Scammers. They have called twice this week. The silly part is that they aren’t calling my home phone, they are calling my business phone. When I answer, PSD Computer Consulting, you would think they would just hang up. But no, they continue to read their script, with their foreign accent. I like to play along sometimes, it is quite entertaining. Here is how the last call went:
Scammer: Hello sir, I am calling you from Windows Security.
Me: Windows Security? Wow I didn’t think you guys made personal attention calls. (I always like to interrupt them when they are reading their script, sometimes they actually lose their place in the script and stammer for a while)
Scammer: Oh, yes sir, and the reason I am calling you today is
Me: (interrupting) Is my computer sending you messages again? Were they rude messages?
Scammer: Ah, yes sir they were. But the reason I am calling you today is
Me: (interrupting) What did it say this time, the last time I had to ground it for a week.
Scammer: CLICK
Well that’s how it went. This one was an especially bad reader and was not going to deviate from the script. Don’t fall for this scam. They are trying to get you to give them control of your computer, by telling you all these things are wrong and that they can fix it for you. Then once they get in, they will ask for payment and when you balk at that they will threaten to wipe your hard drive. I know, none of you would ever fall for something so silly, right? But really, I got a call last week from someone who did and was frantic because they didn’t know what to do. Sometimes the elderly or young kids fall for this as well.
There are all kinds of people out there just waiting to steal from you. So keep your eyes open. Knowing that these things go on, is half the battle.
Here is a link to a Microsoft page about this subject.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx
