Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 33

Thread: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Nr. Bath
    Posts
    29
    Rep Power
    8

    Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Hi

    Am hoping some of you tech savvy people can give me some advice.

    I just got a call from a guy who said he was from a company called Support On Click, apparently the service providers of Micrsoft. He said that everytime I have been using a programme on my computer (ive got Windows XP) and a pop message comes up, it sends a message to them to say there is a problem.
    He asked me to do the following thing click Start>Run>type 'Prefetch' and a list of of 42 programmes came up. He said that everytime I went onto these programmes (including AVG,Excel, I-tunes), a seperate file was being created (a virus) and it was being updated every time I used the programme.
    He said that he could tell from his computer that we hadn't updated our virus protection, although I told him we had recently downloaded AVG. He said the main reason for this, and the computer running slow (its not that slow!) was because we didn't have a Microsoft warranty.
    Our computer is quite old, but has been updated in the last few years so not sure what this means.

    He basically said he can get their technicians to update our computer with a four year warranty, which he said was free, but then highlighted that it would be £50 a year registration fee.

    Im very wary of someone ringing up with all of this information, and really not sure whether to believe it and do anything? I said I would call him back if we decided to go ahead.

    Am hoping someone can shed some light on this, and offer any advice on what they think I should do. As I dont want to pay out £200 for something that I dont need.

    many thanks
    ellen

  2. #2
    Basically lazy robd's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Nr Cambridge
    Posts
    3,696
    Rep Power
    12

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    It's almost certainly a scam. Ignore it.

  3. #3
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,864
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ellen H View Post
    Hi

    Am hoping some of you tech savvy people can give me some advice.



    snip


    Am hoping someone can shed some light on this, and offer any advice on what they think I should do. As I dont want to pay out £200 for something that I dont need.

    many thanks
    ellen
    This is a con
    firstly how did he get your phone number
    secondly microsoft would not call you with such stuff unless of course you are a multi million pound user which would make it worth their while

    I would contact your local trading standards office they will probably have this on file already if not you will be reporting it if they get enough complaints they will sort these crooks out

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    talc free Fife....
    Posts
    2,376
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Sounds like a right scam. Probably hoping to cause panic and because it's coming upto xmas, alot of folk might panic and just go for it.

  5. #5
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    10,015
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Google for "supportonclick" and "support on click" to get some more info.

    While they *may* be a legit company, their business techniques suck.
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  6. #6
    Papa Smurf
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Planet Scathe
    Posts
    12,528
    Blog Entries
    6
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    get as much information on the company as you can and phone the police (who will probably not be interested, but hey, you tried).

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Cruden Bay (Aberde
    Posts
    7,053
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefetcher

    The Prefetcher is a component of versions of Microsoft Windows starting with Windows XP.[citation needed] It is a component of the Memory manager that speeds up the Windows boot process, and shortens the amount of time it takes to start up programs. In Windows Vista, SuperFetch and ReadyBoost [1] extend upon the prefetcher and attempt to accelerate application and boot launch times respectively by monitoring and adapting to usage patterns over periods of time and loading the majority of the files and data needed by them into memory so that they can be accessed very quickly when needed.
    it is indeed a scam, especially since you had just downloaded AVG.

  8. #8
    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Norf Lundin
    Posts
    17,001
    Blog Entries
    1
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.


  9. #9
    Papa Smurf
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Planet Scathe
    Posts
    12,528
    Blog Entries
    6
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    Google for "supportonclick" and "support on click" to get some more info.

    While they *may* be a legit company, their business techniques suck.

    Hmmm, attempted extortion is a bit worse than a sucky "business technique".

  10. #10
    Registered User Gojive's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Staines (if you're not careful)
    Posts
    1,716
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by martingold View Post
    This is a con
    firstly how did he get your phone number
    secondly microsoft would not call you with such stuff unless of course you are a multi million pound user which would make it worth their while

    I would contact your local trading standards office they will probably have this on file already if not you will be reporting it if they get enough complaints they will sort these crooks out


    Might also be worth dropping BBC Watchdog a line here

  11. #11
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,864
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    Hmmm, attempted extortion is a bit worse than a sucky "business technique".
    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    get as much information on the company as you can and phone the police (who will probably not be interested, but hey, you tried).
    correct the police will not be interested however trading standards will the other people i talk to in cases like this are consumer direct who will put you onto the right track

  12. #12
    Lovely Moderator ducasi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Glasgow
    Posts
    10,015
    Rep Power
    14

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    They are based in India – what will the Police, Trading Standards or BBC's watchdog do?

    OK, the BBC can raise awareness, but not by much. Who watches Watchdog regularly anyway?
    Let your mind go and your body will follow. – Steve Martin, LA Story

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Nr. Bath
    Posts
    29
    Rep Power
    8

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Thanks all soo much for your help , its a relief to know I can get such speedy advice! I shall be getting on to trading standards asap.

    It seems that I should have gone with my gut feeling and just ignored it, but I suppose you never know.

    thanks once again.

    ellen

  14. #14
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,864
    Rep Power
    9

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    They are based in India – what will the Police, Trading Standards or BBC's watchdog do?

    OK, the BBC can raise awareness, but not by much. Who watches Watchdog regularly anyway?
    If they cant take direct action they will at least make the public aware this is going on
    Luckily for Ellen she was sensible enough not to just fork out the money

    a lot of people dont use common sense where computers and viruses are concerned and just get scared into paying out

    Having said that she was daft enough to come here and ask us lot what to do
    Last edited by martingold; 9th-December-2008 at 02:40 PM.

  15. #15
    Registered User Gojive's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Staines (if you're not careful)
    Posts
    1,716
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    They are based in India – what will the Police, Trading Standards or BBC's watchdog do?

    OK, the BBC can raise awareness, but not by much. Who watches Watchdog regularly anyway?
    Only around 5 million potential victims last week

  16. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    South
    Posts
    5,424
    Blog Entries
    22
    Rep Power
    11

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by ducasi View Post
    They are based in India – what will the Police, Trading Standards or BBC's watchdog do?

    OK, the BBC can raise awareness, but not by much. Who watches Watchdog regularly anyway?
    Nice attitude, Marvin.
    It's all pointless, so why bother.

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Nr. Bath
    Posts
    29
    Rep Power
    8

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Having said that she was daft enough to come here and ask us lot what to do[/quote]



  18. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    bedford
    Posts
    4,899
    Rep Power
    13

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Having said that she was daft enough to come here and ask us lot what to do
    Yes, it is FAQ No. 325 - dump your PC in a skip and spend the money on dancing (or shoes).

    Actually I am surprised that scammers are using the phone. I thought this sort of thing was all done by email these days.

  19. #19
    Registered User Trousers's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Posts
    1,349
    Rep Power
    10

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dreadful Scathe View Post
    get as much information on the company as you can and phone the police (who will probably not be interested, but hey, you tried).
    You old blue cynic you!

  20. #20
    Papa Smurf
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Planet Scathe
    Posts
    12,528
    Blog Entries
    6
    Rep Power
    18

    Re: Phone call from Microsoft, now not sure what to do.

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    Yes, it is FAQ No. 325 - dump your PC in a skip and spend the money on dancing (or shoes).

    Actually I am surprised that scammers are using the phone. I thought this sort of thing was all done by email these days.
    nope - still happens, people trust others on the phone more often than via the internet. And considering the cheap cost of international calls now, its only going to get worse. Ive been getting loan companies phoning me recently, all from india - they may not be a scam but i hang up pretty quickly due to me not understanding them very well and them asking me to repeat myself (i must admit i do deliberately "turn up" the accent, its funny)


    Another still popular scam is domain scamming - companies who phone up someone with a domain name registered for their website and try and convince them that they must have other tlds (org.uk, .com, or whatever) to protect their brand or somesuch - luckily they'll do it all for you...at a hugely inflated price. (and probably lock your IPS tag for a kings ransom)

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Phone again...
    By David Bailey in forum Geeks' Corner
    Replies: 62
    Last Post: 5th-February-2009, 12:17 PM
  2. Weird automated phone call
    By Lory in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 41
    Last Post: 25th-March-2007, 08:51 PM
  3. Project Management
    By Ste in forum Chit Chat
    Replies: 34
    Last Post: 30th-January-2006, 02:35 PM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •