"Tech Support" Telephone Scam...Ugh

[alaskanseminole]

So, my mother-in-law is sitting on her couch watching TV when her cell phone rings. It's a guy named, "Gary Johnson" [with an Indian accent] who proceeds to tell her he's calling from Microsoft Tech Support and her computer is registering enough errors to put her at risk of losing all her data.

He has her log into her computer and directs her to the System Configuration screen, services tab and shows her all the 'running' and 'stopped' services explaining how bad the 'stopped services' are for her system. He then has her bring up some random sys folder and had her count the files in there. Tells her those are bad too.

In a panic she willingly gives him her CC # so he can charge her $265 to do the following:

- Install TeamViewer (so they can remote in)
- Uninstall Avast
- Uninstall Malwarebytes
- Install Microsoft Security Essentials
- Install PC Matic
- Install Piriform's Defraggler

After running the above crap programs he convinced her that her PC was now safe and he'd call back every Friday to check on her. Surprisingly, enough he called her last Friday to check on her [to see if she's told anyone or shared their "secret" password with anyone]. She wasn't at her PC, so he's supposed to call back this Friday.

When she told me last night, "I was like, YOU DID WHAT!?" I "passionately" explained to her that Microsoft doesn't give a crap about her PC and told her she was scammed. I then spent a few hours getting rid of the crap and re-installing legit programs, then scanning for back-doors, keyloggers, etc. Ugh. Turns out it's just a money scam, not something more sinister, i.e. botnet, etc.

She asked, "Why didn't they take my money [hack her bank accounts]?" I told her, "They didn't have to. You just handed it over freely."

After some Googling, this is basically the scam. This dude works for Malwarebytes and they trashed his PC after he jacked with them for a bit (he let them of course).

 

[Urban Cryer]

Wow that's crazy! I wish we could track down some of these scammers and beat the crap out of them, that would make me feel a lot better.

 

[ericram]

So I hope you informed the credit card company.

 

[alaskanseminole]

So I hope you informed the credit card company.

She's going first thing this morning to report the scam and request new cards.

 

[BornANole]

My mother lives in The Villages community. For those that don't know it is a retirement community (55+) in central Florida. Those people hit her up multiple times a day. They just run through all the numbers in that area and hit as many as they can. It is crazy how effective it is.

The scam you mentioned is different than the one they were doing earlier. Basically they would do everything you said for free, and then install an app that pretty much locked the machine up and blackmail them for money to unlock it. Usually for several hundreds of dollars. Of course the software never went away and the machine would lock up again and they would have to pay again to get it unlocked again. The local tech guy there is making good money uninstalling this crap and educating those people on this scam.

 

[96Nole]

Wow that's crazy! I wish we could track down some of these scammers and beat the crap out of them, that would make me feel a lot better.

I'd rather we just threw them into a tree shredder.

 

[dmm5157]

At what do older people become so gullible?

My mom is only 65 and she's already talking to people that cold call her. Drives me nuts. Just hang up the phone and call me to ask me, you aren't going to hurt their feelings.

 

[seminole97]

 

[Fijimn]

What is your mother-in-law email address. I have inherited a significant amount from a long lost relative in Kenya who, unbeknownst to me, was the fourth heir to His Royal Majesty. However, I would need an American account to transfer the money to so as to avoid international and domestic policy issues that I cannot divulge. If she would send me her checking account number and routing number, I can make the transfer. Of course, she would be entitled to a 10% fee.

 

[alaskanseminole]

What is your mother-in-law email address. I have inherited a significant amount from a long lost relative in Kenya who, unbeknownst to me, was the fourth heir to His Royal Majesty. However, I would need an American account to transfer the money to so as to avoid international and domestic policy issues that I cannot divulge. If she would send me her checking account number and routing number, I can make the transfer. Of course, she would be entitled to a 10% fee.

seems fair

 

[wbnolefan]

taking advantage of the elderly is the definition of disgusting

 

[BelemNole]

My wife keeps getting these types of calls. "Hi, we're from Microsoft - we're showing that your computer has been hacked and we need you to let us walk you thru fixing it."
Her: "Which computer?"
"Uh...your Microsoft computer"
Her: "Yes, we have several, if you're from Microsoft you can tell me which one. Give me a serial code or computer name."
-click-

 

[ATLNole1]

Sick of these scammers preying on the elderly but must admit they are a dedicated bunch when they think they have a sucker. A couple months ago I got the fake IRS agent with an Indian accent telling me that I owed back taxes and he was going to issue a warrant for my arrest. Decided to play along and put him on hold while I told him I was going to the store to get a pre-loaded debit card. Came back to the phone an hour later and was surprised the guy was still hanging on the line. I then told him that I knew he was a scammer and just wanted to waste his time so he dropped a string of f bombs on me and hung up.

 

[Hayduke GW]

It's hard to run a 3rd party campaign, Gary Johnson needs to raise money somehow.

 

[timenole]

Had one call me from "Windows Technical Support" yesterday at my office. He asked me to find the CTRL key and I had him going for quite a while while I was trying to press those 4 letters simultaneously. He was getting frustrated trying to tell me that there's just one key and I insisted I had all four. He finally hung up after being put on hold three times...

 

[Bartdog]

I have had this phone call twice and both times I asked enough dumb questions until they just hung up.

 

[Bartdog]

wait a second... is THIS your MIL??

 

[alaskanseminole]

So get this. I called the number on the credit card statement and it was on automated message with the only option of "Press 1 if you're calling to request a refund." I went through the prompts (using my MIL's phone) and got her a refund. These guys are really good! If you're smart enough to call and get you're money back, you're golden. If not, you voluntarily gave them free money.

 

[jeffy]

So get this. I called the number on the credit card statement and it was on automated message with the only option of "Press 1 if you're calling to request a refund." I went through the prompts (using my MIL's phone) and got her a refund. These guys are really good! If you're smart enough to call and get you're money back, you're golden. If not, you voluntarily gave them free money.

Did you have to talk to a real person, or was it mostly automated all the way through?

 

[alaskanseminole]

Did you have to talk to a real person, or was it mostly automated all the way through?

100% automated. Waiting to see if she really gets the refund.

 

[ColonelAngus]

So, my mother-in-law is sitting on her couch watching TV when her cell phone rings. It's a guy named, "Gary Johnson" [with an Indian accent] who proceeds to tell her he's calling from Microsoft Tech Support and her computer is registering enough errors to put her at risk of losing all her data.

He has her log into her computer and directs her to the System Configuration screen, services tab and shows her all the 'running' and 'stopped' services explaining how bad the 'stopped services' are for her system. He then has her bring up some random sys folder and had her count the files in there. Tells her those are bad too.

In a panic she willingly gives him her CC # so he can charge her $265 to do the following:

- Install TeamViewer (so they can remote in)
- Uninstall Avast
- Uninstall Malwarebytes
- Install Microsoft Security Essentials
- Install PC Matic
- Install Piriform's Defraggler

After running the above crap programs he convinced her that her PC was now safe and he'd call back every Friday to check on her. Surprisingly, enough he called her last Friday to check on her [to see if she's told anyone or shared their "secret" password with anyone]. She wasn't at her PC, so he's supposed to call back this Friday.

When she told me last night, "I was like, YOU DID WHAT!?" I "passionately" explained to her that Microsoft doesn't give a crap about her PC and told her she was scammed. I then spent a few hours getting rid of the crap and re-installing legit programs, then scanning for back-doors, keyloggers, etc. Ugh. Turns out it's just a money scam, not something more sinister, i.e. botnet, etc.

She asked, "Why didn't they take my money [hack her bank accounts]?" I told her, "They didn't have to. You just handed it over freely."

After some Googling, this is basically the scam. This dude works for Malwarebytes and they trashed his PC after he jacked with them for a bit (he let them of course).

View embedded media

That video is fantastic....OMG.

 

[West Duval Nole]

That video is fantastic....OMG.

For the name on the credit card he should have put. Suk Mike Hawk.