Microsoft/Windows Phone Scam

What a Saturday Surprise, here I was thinking I was so smart, but I fell for a major computer phone scam. Now I feel like a huge fool.

First you receive the phone call saying that they are from Microsoft or Windows and that there have been error warning reports sent to them that there are problems with your computer. (this is the point that you should hang up, Microsoft does not track what is happening on your computer.) If you are a fool like me and persist. Next they will have you go on your computer and push some buttons and they will show you a few sites that show how many problems there are on your computer. Then a few sites later they will have remote access to your computer and then they can start showing you all kinds of things that will convince you that your computer is a total mess and each second it is getting worse. Then comes the kicker they can clean it all up and get your computer back to working order just as soon as you fill out their registrations and sign-up for either a one year, three year or whole life protection plan. I of course fell for the whole life plan, (what a deal, right) 399 dollars and can be transferred to any computer or even to your kids. ( I know, I know in hind site I can totally see the warnings. Even in the moment something did not seem quite right, but I ignored my smarter self and on I fell.) The actual total was 415 and some change, (for the taxes and fees right.)

Thankfully I have a smart and suspicious husband who looked into the whole thing and quickly discovered the danger. So now I have a canceled card, 2 hours in combing through both computers to change passwords and check to make sure there were not any other problems. I will be making a few phone calls to report the scam. I have that horrible feeling of violation and I am totally embarrassed.

Most importantly though I wanted to send out the warning. They are good, especially if you only know enough about computers to be dangerous. Some of the biggest warning signs that I thought were strange even at the time was that they are giving you the hard sell the entire time. Trying to show you just how bad it is and convince you that you have to take steps to fix it. Please, please do not fall victim as I did. Microsoft and windows will not call you if there are problems on your computer.

I really still can not believe that I fell for this.

Many blessings to you on this lesson learned night. --Kate