PLEASE READ THIS WARNING

[Toby]

Last night I received a telephone call from a man with a very strong accent. He informed me that Microsoft had infiltrated my computed. He instructed me to turn my computer on so he could walk me through the steps I needed to do to get rid of any virus or Trojans.

I thought this was very strange and told him I couldn't talk right then. I asked him for his phone number so I could get back to him at a more convenient time. Of course, he said it was very important that I took care of this right away. I said thank you very much and hung up.

I reversed that number and it comes from a place in VA. It's a cell number. Today I called my son and told him about it. He looked it up and sure enough it is a scam! Please beware of anything you might get like this. Although I immediately thought it was a scam, in the back of my mind I thought maybe it is true. He said he knew I had bought a new computer. I am so glad that I hung up that phone!!

[merryfl]

Linda - I had a similar call a couple of weeks ago. The caller had an Indian/Pakistani accent, and said they were contracted to maintain MicroSoft operating systems and asked if I could get on my computer right then. I just hung up on him - figured it was some sort of scam.

I never NEVER talk to anyone unless I initiated the call -- no matter what the subject. If they call me, I'm not interested! That is a hard and fast rule in our family and has kept us out of alot of trouble.

[Toby]

It is drummed into my head also by my son. The thing that gave me a little bit of worry was I had a new computer. Do you think they target the older generation? How do they get our phone numbers? I thought it was right away but the problems I have been having with my computer made me think maybe it is. That was for a very brief moment! My son has drummed that into my head. I remember getting a letter saying I had won this big sum of money. All I needed to do was send them the letter back. I tried calling the number on the letter (husband insisted) and as soon as I told them it was from a letter I received they hung up quickly. It's always from these foreign companies. When I reversed the call it said they were from Virginia. My son asked me how I get these things. What am I doing on the computer? I got a lecture about not going on any forums, hates facebook, and friends jokes. Why have a computer?

[sue]

I'm glad u hung up on him Linda....I wonder how many ppl fall for that?

[merryfl]

I don't think they necessarily target any specific age group. They just keep calling numbers until they get lucky. Most households have a computer anymore, so the odds are they'll find someone to talk to them.

My mother used to get alot of telemarketer calls. I told her how dangerous it is - told her NEVER to give them any information. She insisted she knew better than that -- she just liked to talk to them...some of them were very nice, and it helped pass the time. I have no idea whether she ever got taken by any of them...she'd never admit it if she did

My youngest son works in collections for the federal government (student loans). He calls people all day long, so when he gets telemarketer calls, he listens to them and talks to them. He says he knows how hard it is to get hung up time after time, so he can at least listen to them. But he never buys.

I used to think I had to be polite to them, and say no thankyou, etc. Now, I don't care what they think of me. I think it's safer to just hang up.

[blondie]

Thanks for the info Linda. I would be suspicious right away.. Good for you in hanging up.

[aero]

I am glad you posted this.

I did receive a call like this, and like Merry, my caller's accent was Indian.

I played along and new it was a scam. Microsoft would never call about such things. They would not know.

When I said for him to give me a number, that I would verify his number with a number on file, he hung up. LOL

My brother is a computer tech and microsoft certified. If you press the keys this caller tells you to, I forget whcih ones, it opens up and lets them in.

[Colleen-NC]

Thanks for the heads up, never seen this one before but I would probably hang up on them, I don't trust anyone anymore, especially unsolicited calls~~~