Windows 10: What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers

Borg 386 · Jul 10, 2016

Three months of phone calls prove Windows scammers are more skilled at social engineering than you think.

“I am calling you from Windows.”

So goes the opening line of the well-known phone scam, where a person calls purporting to be a help desk technician reaching out to resolve your computer problems. These Windows scammers feed off people’s concerns about data breaches and identity theft to trick them into installing malware onto their machines. The scam has been netting victims for years, despite the fact that none of what the callers say makes sense.

I recently received such a call and decided to play along, to see how the scam evolves and who the players might be.

Over a period of three months, I received calls on average of four times a week, from various people, all intent on proving that my computer had been hacked and that they were calling to save the day. I had multiple opportunities to try a variety of conversational gambits and to ask questions of my own. Here is what I found out about the Windows scammer underworld via conversations with “Jake,” “Mary,” “Nancy,” “Greg,” “William,” and others.
Click to expand...

What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers | PCWorld

:)

grimmimp · Jul 10, 2016

"Unable to install" show when I tried to install Ovi Store

phone replaced. and ovi back where it should be. what a horrible week that was. could not upload photos to facebook or delete photo's, couldn't even play any of the installed games. still won't do that again (i prey)

Jumpinthelake · Jul 10, 2016

What is this message on XBOX Live phone app from "bit.ly/xlsrules"

This has NOTHING to do with Microsoft Security Essentials but I have found absolutely no option for Windows XBOX live phone app!! They don't make it easy to find if there is one. I've been looking for almost an hour!

I haven't played in a few months, I receive this communication on June 27th on my Windows Nokia 1520 on my Xbox Live phone app:

"Congratulations! Because you signed in to Xbox Live through the Xbox app for the first time between June 15th and June 30th, you are eligible to win $40 in store credits through weekly sweepstakes. If you would like to opt-out of the sweepstakes, please
read the Sweepstakes Official Rules to learn how: bit.ly/xlsrules"

Pretty sure this is a virus malware trying to suck kids in, but can you smart fellows just tell me is Microsoft (Xbox Live) doing ANYTHING at all about this? Is there anyone who cares that small children use this app too? Obviously monsters preying on
kids who are thinking this is $40 they don't have to get from their parents for more games or progress on their games?

What is being done to stop these people from preying on the more naïve age group?

Where do I need to go & what can people do to stop these awful monsters and their opportunism on what I thought was a secure site?

* Moved from Virus & Malware

altae · Jul 10, 2016

That woman must have a lot of free time if she can afford to waste it dealing with those f...... *Wink

Windows 10: What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers

What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers

What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers

What I learned playing prey to Windows scammers

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