Windows 10: Help with getting back onto computer after phone call scam

Hello, my grandmother recently had a scam pop up onto her computer when she was using Facebook. She got a message saying to call a number, 1-844-876-9080 and another number then called her as well, 1-844-797-3777. Her being 79 and not being very good with technology she called the first number and they asked her a few questions, she cannot remember what they asked her, but I am assuming it was personal information like her email and password to get into something. They said they would call her back and then a black message popped up with codes and the mouse was moving. It said something ab

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help us out to get rid of the scam

That was a scam. You either visited a dubious web site, clicked on a dubious link, or otherwise triggered the scam message.

Never call phone numbers that appear in a message that suggests that you have a computer problem.
Never respond to cold calls for a "Windows" or "Microsoft" technician who suggests that your computer is having (or causing) a problem. These are
ALL scams.

At this point, just open and finish your document. Don't open Chrome until you are finished.

What antimalware software is installed on your computer?

Download and run the free trial of Malwarebytes:
https://www.malwarebytes.com/

If the message reappears when you re-start Chrome, your computer is infected with malware and you will have to take further steps to clean things up.

 

Phone scam

I now get no more weird foreign voices claiming to be from Microsoft's technical dept and many other such scams. We have been inundated with rubbish calls- before I added a call blocker device this reached 6 or 7 a day.

In the UK service providers have added a new free service that means callers are challenged to leave a short message, then press #. My phone then rings, and I have the option to add the caller to my approved list, accept this call but not add it, or simply not take the call.

I can manually add numbers to the blocked or approved list on line or using my phone.

The downside is any valid service (library reservations, some bank services) that rely on automated calls fail.

I have asked my service provider to consider adding a way to temporarily suspend the service.

 

Possible scam?

Hi Thomas,

I can understand the situation you are going through. To help you further, we need the following information.

• Which Microsoft website have you visited?
• What is the phone number that you have contacted?
• What is the make and model of the computer?

I suggest you to refer to the links for more information on possible scams.

Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/msname.aspx

HOW TO: Report the Microsoft phone scam

http://blogs.microsoft.com/cybertrust/2014/09/18/how-to-report-the-microsoft-phone-scam/

@ bhringer, thank you for bringing this to our notice.

Please get back to us with the above information.