How close was I to getting phone scammed?

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The Awesomest

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My computer has been refusing to take its Windows updates for a while now. It tries and tries to install them, but in the end it just can't do it and undoes the updates. It just did it last night, in fact. So imagine my surprise when a guy from Microsoft calls me (my caller ID says "Unknown number", red flag number one) and asks if my computer has not been updated. I say yes, and he shows instructs me to take a look at some thing which shows me all these programs that aren't running. I think, wow, that's pretty serious, and he tells me it's because of some virus, and I really should be running some cleanup every few months.

The call gets cut off, and he calls me back in about 10 minutes, though this time the Caller ID says "Anonymous - Private Number", red flag number two. He gives me his name and number, gets me on this remote support website called Supremo, and transfers me to a technician, who shows me all these alert things. There are a lot of them, and it certainly appears to me that this ought to be dealt with. He says he'll take control of my computer for about 30 minutes and fix it all up. Sounds good. Oh, and there will be a fee involved. Big, giant red flag. The rest of our conversation went something like this:

Me: Wait, did you say there was a fee?
Him: Yes, it's only $25 dollars.
Me: I'll need to think about this. Can you call me back in the evening?
Him: Sir this is very urgent, we need to care of this right now.
Me: Well if there's going to be a fee, I need to consult the other person who uses this computer.
Him: Sir are you saying that you don't want me to fix this?
Me: Uh no I'm saying that I need to consult with someone before I pay the fee.
Him: Are you saying someone else uses this computer?
Me: Yeah. Can you call me back?
Him: Can I call back in half an hour?
Me: Yeah that sounds good.

He hung up, the remote support thing seemed to disconnect, And I immediately went and googled "microsoft scam" and lo and behold, the website says they never charge anyone to fix stuff over the phone. So now I'm left with some questions:
- How could they have known my computer wasn't receiving Microsoft updates? Lucky guess?
- Am I still at risk from that Supremo thing? It appeared to disconnect, and there was some message saying so, but I still worry that he has access to my computer now.
- The tech support guy gave me a name and number, which is probably fake. Should I report those anyway?
- What do I do now?

Oh and it's been over half and hour and the dudes haven't called back.
 
I'd say you were beyond close -- crossed the line.

What did he show you? a bunch of disabled services in services.msc?

Yes, I would worry about whatever remote client they had you install
 
You thought Microsoft calls random houses?

Also: He sent you to a web site. You already have malware, possibly a key logger.
 
The Awesomest said:
- How could they have known my computer wasn't receiving Microsoft updates? Lucky guess?
Click to expand...

Yes. It's a very common scam, they call people not even knowing if they have only OSX in their house. It was just very unfortunate timing that they called right as you had a related issue.
 
I would instantly reinstall my machine in your situation. He didn't know probably and it was just one of those random callers that got you at a good time, or they had been watching you for a while but that seems like an awful lot of work for a potential small/none payoff.
 
Do not give them any payment information. Call some actual professionals who you can verify, if you can't find a way to fix your computer yourself. All of this seems hella suspect. I have no experience with Supremo, so no idea if they've already double-hacked your computer with their remote support thing.
 
If you have all your important documents saved on a different hard drive or backed up somewhere, you might just want to do a clean install of Windows. Doesn't hurt to do that every year or so to keep it clean.

But yeah, MS would never call you about your PC not updating.
 
1: Windows Updates not working is a common enough issue that they can say it to anyone and occasionally get hits.
2: If you installed any software or went to any websites they suggested you've already been compromised.
3: If you actually let them remote into your PC you're even more compromised.

You're the first person I know who's fallen for the scam so I have no idea what that actually means for you, your computer or your personal information but I see no reason not to think the worst (Viruses, zombie back door, keyloggers, financial information theft) as their goal.

In other words.
Smokey said:
You got got

Reformat asap
Click to expand...
 
someone from "microsoft" has called every other month for the past year, haha i just laugh and laugh and hang up

"very urgent, i need to help you now" is what the person says, i have had a guy and girl try to scam.



I should just say something stupid while hanging up next time
 
Your computer has a malware, most likely a key logger at the most benign case.

In any case, you need to get your machine checked for malware, and if possible in case you don't have anything important there and just porn, do a clean install.
 
Uhh yeah, you probably got a trojan from somewhere that made it so your computer would stop updating, which was likely how they knew to call you.

Computer problems like this should never be ignored. If your computer isn't receiving proper updates, there's something wrong with it. Never just put it off and assume it'll fix itself. Either do some diagnostics yourself, or find someone you trust who can. Never let someone fix your computer remotely.
 
"The scammers use Supremo as a tool to get control of remote computers and steal passwords and other relevant information," he also said. "Of course the user of the host PC has to authorize the inbound connection in order to allow the remote control. But the scammers convince him that he needs assistance. Usually they tell the victim they’re calling from Microsoft and that they have problems with the Windows license or that they have malware in the PC."
Click to expand...
http://arstechnica.com/information-...s-trouble-for-legitimate-remote-help-company/

I got this call from "Microsoft" after I had been working with Verizon tech support (in another country, possibly India). Literally just after I got off the phone with them. Unlisted anonymous number that wouldn't show on caller ID. I just played dumb, like really dumb, and the guy got upset and started talking in another language and then hung up on me. Someone (probably from Verizon support) gave him my name and phone number because the landline phone number was unlisted and was in the landlord's name.
(plus I'm pretty guarded why my info, so it had to be direct source)
 
OP, welcome to the world of scam. Once my my mom picked up a phone from an alleged IRS worker who wanted her to give some credit card number. That was a red flag and she hung up. He ended up calling her again and threatened to use the army against her. She laughed.

xxracerxx said:
The guy is already in the house.
Click to expand...
This post was unusually creepy to me lol
 
The Awesomest said:
gets me on this remote support website called Supremo, and transfers me to a technician, who shows me all these alert things. There are a lot of them, and it certainly appears to me that this ought to be dealt with. He says he'll take control of my computer for about 30 minutes and fix it all up.
Click to expand...

2142264-7796_full.jpg
 
The Awesomest said:
- How could they have known my computer wasn't receiving Microsoft updates? Lucky guess?
Click to expand...

Pretty much. Although one thing worth noting:

I say yes, and he shows instructs me to take a look at some thing which shows me all these programs that aren't running.
Click to expand...

The programs listed as not running are perfectly normal, and absolutely nothing to be distressed about; they're trying to convince you of their honesty by making it sound like a bad thing.

I've strung one of these guys along for something like twenty minutes (It was a Saturday evening, I was watching telly, tinkering convincingly with my laptop while doing so wasn't a hardship). They don't half get confused when they ask you to run something on your computer and you say "Which one? I've got... five here"



Edit: In retrospect - and if it ever happens again - I'll try the "Look, I have to go out soon, can you leave me some contact details and I'll get back to you" gambit. Doubt it'd work, but it'd put them on the spot, and I'm curious how they'd try to wriggle out of it.
 
Backup important data and reformat. Surprised you didn't hang up on the first guy who called. A bit convenient that they call you to help you fix your computer amirite?
 
OP why did you even go along with any of this at all?

You think microsoft just calls peoples homes?
You went to a website that is entirely not like any microsoft site
You let him take control of your system


OP I have some tartan paint to sell you.
 
Clydefrog said:
Supremo? Are you sure he wasn't from Taco Bell?
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Na dude, it's an evolution from Awesome-0.

But in all seriousness, this is a common scam. Microsoft doesn't call random houses about their windows not updating... or anything for that matter. They just call a house and wing it, hoping to get someone who isn't computer literate.

gets me on this remote support website called Supremo, and transfers me to a technician, who shows me all these alert things. There are a lot of them, and it certainly appears to me that this ought to be dealt with. He says he'll take control of my computer for about 30 minutes and fix it all up.
Click to expand...

Time to reformat, back up any docs and wipe that shit clean. Also check any important accounts and change your passwords, who knows what they installed/have now.
 
McSpidey said:
1: Windows Updates not working is a common enough issue that they can say it to anyone and occasionally get hits.
2: If you installed any software or went to any websites they suggested you've already been compromised.
3: If you actually let them remote into your PC you're even more compromised.

You're the first person I know who's fallen for the scam so I have no idea what that actually means for you, your computer or your personal information but I see no reason not to think the worst (Viruses, zombie back door, keyloggers, financial information theft) as their goal.

In other words.
Click to expand...

This.

This. This. This.

First thing I suggest is to disconnect your computer from your network while you copy your files off. This will ensure they're unable to connect remotely again while it's powered on.

Then reformat and reinstall Windows. When you've done that connect to your network, and change passwords to any important sites like bank accounts and such.
 
I had one similar, only he didn't state he was from Microsoft, instead I got the "I'm from your broadband provider and you have a virus spitting out spam, please follow our steps to fix" BS.

As soon as I asked him which Broadband provider he was calling from at first he got quite confused, only answering "Your broadband provider", so I asked again, which?

I explained that I have two lines, from two different providers.

Last response from him?

"Uhhhh, fuck, shit..." *click*...

The few silent seconds of awkward silence from him followed by the realization I had him cornered were worth the wasted few minutes of time the call took. XD
 
My boss came in one morning complaining about issues he was having with itunes. He had contacted their customer support, and they had supposedly helped him download a new version of itunes. He said it only cost him $60. This is were my ears perked up. I couldn't believe Apple would charge him for a new install. He swore up and down he had talked to official itunes support. Then he showed me their website to prove it.

itune.com was the site.

I just shook my head.
 
The Awesomest said:
Thanks you guys. I'll be reformatting or reinstalling asap.
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You should also change every web password that you have (do this from another device if possible or if not, from the same device after you reformat). You don't know how long your PC has been monitored so they may have access to everything you've done and every key you've pressed for some time.
 
These fuckers kept calling us at 2 in the fucking morning. We has to unplug the phone from the jack in the end.

If you call them out on their bs they get really abusive, it's pretty fun but I don't have the energy to do that at 2am.
 
Reformat, change your passwords and stop being so gullible.

I assume he loaded up event viewer from the command prompt and showed you all those nasty error messages. for future reference, Microsoft will never call you, most companies will never do that out of the blue in fact. Same with emails. If you are suspcious go to the real website and contact them through that, never through a random email or phone call.
 
Super common scam, happened to my grandmother just a few months back.

The Giant Bombcast had a discussion on these types of scams a few months ago. One listener of the show mentioned how he answered the phone saying, "Hello, this is Sam from Microsoft!" and the scammer responded with "WHAT?" and he never called back.

Try that OP. But really, you seriously need to reformat your machine and edit ALL of your financial and social networking passwords.
 
Oddly I was at someones house last night and they too got a call from Microsoft. Call cut out though.

I forgot about this scam, didn't know they still did it.
 
Manmademan said:
ding ding ding
Click to expand...

Not likely. The way these guys operate is they'll cold call you, ask you a few leading questions and then have you open event viewer or component services. They'll point out all the error events (perfectly normal to have a few) and/or the services that are not running (again, perfectly normal), and then they'll ask for remote access to your PC so they can "fix it" for a fee.

In the case of the OP, it sounds like they first asked for remote access and then showed him the event viewer/services in order to scare him into giving them money to "fix it".

Darren870 said:
Oddly I was at someones house last night and they too got a call from Microsoft. Call cut out though.

I forgot about this scam, didn't know they still did it.
Click to expand...

These old scams are still profitable for them due to people just simply not knowing enough about them. The information doesn't get out where it's needed. Especially in the case of the elderly.

My wife's grandparents were recently almost scammed by the old Nigerian prince ruse. Her stepdad called to see how they were doing, and when he heard about the phone call they received earlier in the day immediately told them it was bullshit. They actually wanted to "hear the chap out" even after being told it was a scam. Eventually my wife's brother told them the exact same thing, but they listened to him because "he works for the government".
 
Take a sledgehammer to your computer to delete the viruses, and then burn it, preferably in a fireplace, to get rid of the malware. Its the only way.

Also, since he knows your cellphone number, id throw my cellphone in the trash, change my name, and move to Mexico.

Buena suerte, OP.
 
This is a pretty widespread scam. I get these questions from clients on and off every other week about getting calls from Microsoft. I just abruptly tell them it's a scam. MS doesn't have a department to randomly call people about their Windows machine, there is zillion computers out there being sold every day with Windows, it wouldn't make logistical sense.
 
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