cold call computer virus scam

[81SPIDERMATT]

you might get a call from "Microsoft" (not really.. Microsoft would never cold call a customer about virus issues on your computer) they will say that your computer has been sending reports about a new bad virus ... if you bite ..please don't ... they will talk you thru to a website and download their special virus program for only blah blah blah .... only reason I mention it is they sound quite convincing on the phone and I have heard they can even rattle off your seriel number of the computer ..... again ... scam .... microsoft has probably never called you and most likely never will ...that is something you would have to initiate on your own ..... Matt

[focodave]

In a related story ---- the guy in Nigeria asking for lots of money is perfectly legit.

[garion]

Computer expert here (security/network).

This is a common scam. I usually try to waste their time as much as I can when I get the calls. I don't run Windows (not since Windows 95 and even then, it was only for work), so its obvious to me and my wife when they call. I keep a bone stock windows virtual machine to toy with them and waste as much time as I can. The longer I waste with them, the less money they make, the more likely it won't be profitable, the more likely they quit.

What happens is that they have you go to their website, and it installs a bunch of software that lets them to whatever they want to your machine.. Then (usually, the normal scam), they show you some 'logs' that look really nasty, because they have red stop signs or something, but are benign. They they tell you that they can remove the virus that causes it for $249 or somesuch, and ask for your CC#..

So now they have your CC# and also a new computer to add to this spam/hack network. Plus any info thats on your machine.