Windows 10: Phone Scam

At 10:28 a.m. this morning I received a call from a "Microsoft Support Team" member names Aaron Mathew. He sounded foreign...maybe India. Anyway I was transferred to him from the first guy that I talked with. Aaron said there were issues with my IP address being compromised and might have been hijacked. He ask me how many devices I used on this IP address. Anyway I gave him permission to remotely access my computer (stupid me). He pulled up a page that showed I had 10918 events which could have compromised my computer. I did not know what he was talking about, but I did see that number on the page with all of my IP access. He proceeded to tell me I need to install a new home network monitoring that he could help get installed...It would cost $400 for 3 years, $450 for 5 years or $500 for lifetime on all my devices. Told me to go to Walgreens or CVS and purchase a Google Play gift card for the amount of program I wanted. Would use the secure infomration on the gift card. RED FLAGS EVERYWHERE....did not understand why I had to get a gift card. Said Microsoft insurance would refund my expense for up to 10 years. Also would send a cashier's check by fed ex. and gave them my address. Now I am really concerned that they have all of my information at hand to do what they want to do. I have windows defender on my computer and ran it right after I hung up from him. Also I have another local computer monitoring company I pay monthly to monitor for anything suspicious. I did not buy the Gift Card...told the guy I would check it out to see if scam. He assured me it was not.


Any suggestions on what I need to do now.

:)

 

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.

 

Supported phones for Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview


Your list confirms my phone is eligible, Lumia 521. The windows Insider App fails after ~ 15 seconds, restores data and gives me error 80073cf9. I trouble shot this and went thru all the steps mentioned on several websites including MS without any luck. Short of a hard reset, this is where I am now. Suggestions appreciated.

 

Scam call?

Yes you did the right thing

Definitely a scam.

Do not trust unsolicited calls. Do not provide any personal information.

Suggestion to read/watch:

• Avoid tech support phone scams
• Beware of Phony Emails &Tech Support Scams
  
• Tech Support Scams – Help & Resource Page

Fake Tech Support Scams – video from the MS Digital Crimes Unit