Not sure if this one has been tried in the US as yet, but for all our Aussie and Kiwi mates this is a very timely warning.

There are a couple of HOAXES doing the rounds at the moment. One of them is an unsolicited phone call from what is allegedly the Microsoft Tech Dept. The caller that rang me tonight had a very strong Indian type accent and his first words were Hi...then calling me by name...said I am from the Microsoft Tech Dept and we are receiving lots of Error Messages from your computer. He then went through the process of getting me to give him remote access (or at least trying to) so he could "fix" the problem. Luckily I smelled a rat right from the opening word from him so he didn't get what he wanted.

I rang Microsoft and they advised me that they are aware of the hoax phone calls and in conjunction with the relevant Police etc are trying to find the scammers so they can deal with them.

Microsoft will NEVER make unsolicited phone calls to customers, so beware if you receive a phone call alleging they are from Microsoft...especially if you have not had any dealings with Microsoft.

Following is the guts of the email I received from Microsoft after speaking to them. The link to the Australian Govt Scam Watch website will give you verification of this scam/hoax.

Dear Vince,

Warm greetings from Microsoft Customer Service Australia and New Zealand.

Please be wary of a scam that has left some victims hundreds of dollars out of pocket. To know more about how to avoid scams that use Microsoft name fraudulently, please visit the links provided below:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/msname.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/australia/presspass/post/Microsoft-issues-warning-on-phone-scam

Alternatively we strongly recommend reporting to the local police or Consumer Affairs. You may also report to the ff:

Australia: www.scamwatch.gov.au

https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/tag/reportascam/

New Zealand: www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/report_scam

http://www.theorb.org.nz/

To help protect your PC against viruses, spyware and other malicious software. Please feel free to visit the following website to download the latest security tool and online scan:

http://www.microsoft.com/protect

I'd love to be able to get these mongrels in my sights...CRACK THUMP...problem solved. It totally true what they say...some people are alive today simply because it is illegal to kill them!!!!!!!

Cheers, Vince

Yup this has been going on for years and people are still falling for this scam, until people realize that microsoft will never contact them (telephone, e-mail) unless contacted first, it will continue.

OK...it is fairly new out this way OV1. I would imagine that NZ is the same.

I received a call tonight, but I was wary right from the start...it just didn't sound right. Although, I have had contact with the Microsoft Tech Dept not that long ago, so I let him ramble on for a bit to see where it was going...he let himself down in the end by being to schmarmy. That coupled with my wariness sealed it for me. I never let him get to the main part of his scam...I simply hung up.

Cheers, Vince

Vince try this
ask for a phone number to ring them back to confirm they are who they say. If they give you a number and it works pass it on to authorities if they wont give you a number or email they are a scammer forsure.

Tried that mate, but he skirted around it...that was one of the main reasons I knew he was a scammer.

Cheers, Vince

Yep Vince, had that one tried on me a few months ago, luckily for me I dont know shyte about the ramblings of the innerds in the here computy thingies, so I handed the phone to my mrs and she sorted him out pretty quick. Now when anyone calls about computer stuff I just tell em all to get stuffed and hang up. Like unsolicited calls trying to sell stuff, I just give em a mouthfull and they go away, very rarely get calls at home anymore. Must be on some "do not call this one bites" list

we have the no call list here in the states. If a solicitor calls, I just say I'm on the no call list, whats your name so I can report you. They usually hang up. if they dont, I do.

I hate it when that happens. Those scammers get about ten seconds of my time. All the best...
Gil

I've had a few of these in the last month.
I've got to the point where I string them along and at the critical part of the speil ask them how this effects the Ubantu operating system.
And then give them a blast of my best rendition of gunnery sgt hartman, with an aussie flavour. Probably a lot of new english words that are too hard to comprehend in bangalore.
Not allowed to do that when the kids are in the room............

Hello Vince.

Your Indian friend called me tonight, I am sorry for my behavior, and I apologise since I was not very polite and hung up on him.

Who else got a phone call? How did he get my phone number or is he dialling at random?

Eeyouelder

I'd say random calls mate...either that or those mongrel so-called uspposed to be secure Indian Call Centres are selling info. Wouldn't surprise me even remotely because I for one do not trust them one iota...not a single honest brain cell between the entire race.

Do I sound a bit bigoted? UNLUCKY !!!

Cheers, Vince

Like you Vince, Once I smell a rat they get told to cough a long way - you know it.....Far Cough!
I too get very few sales calls, they get a bigger serve when they call at dinner time !!!! Can't keep a man from his food.

*57 allows you to trace the call and that information is useful to police, even if they do not give you their number. Gives you the last number to call you at least, or more depending on the phone service provider.

Atleast with any that adopted standard Bell codes. Which are common (such as *69).

Dimitri