Beware of Computer Scam Phone Calls
We have had many customers recently come into our Westminster, MD-based computer repair shop and tell us that they have received a call from Microsoft or Windows saying that they detected problems on their computer. About half of these customers tell us that they knew it was a scam, but about half of them weren’t so sure. Let me be the first to tell you that nobody from Microsoft should ever call you about detecting any errors on your computer. On Microsoft’s website, they state, “Neither Microsoft nor our partners make unsolicited phone calls (also known as cold calls) to charge you for computer security or software fixes.”
Scammers can obtain your name and other basic information from public directories. They can also spoof a caller ID and make it appear they are calling from a legitimate company. These scammers are looking to steal your money for phony services or software and potentially trick you into injecting malware into your computer to capture sensitive data such as your banking or credit card information. You should never purchase software, services or give control of your computer to anyone that you can’t verify is from a legitimate company. If ever in doubt, hang up. You can always drop off your computer to our Westminster, MD-based location or we can potentially remotely connect to your computer to service you over the internet.
If you want to help stop these cyber criminals you can report these types of incidents to Microsoft at http://support.microsoft.com/reportascam. You can also file an FTC Complaint Assistant Form at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1. More information about the issue of computer scam phone calls can be found at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx.
Thanks for reading!
