To Report Microsoft Scam

Question

In April 2023, we were scammed by a fake microsoft tech. We received a message on our computer that it had been hacked and we need to call the Microsoft number on the screen. We paid $615.00 to clean up the problem. However, on July 3, the message appeared on our computer again along with pornography pictures. This time, the fake microsoft tech wanted us to pay over $2,000.00 to purchase a software that would resolve this new computer problem. When we refused, we were verbally abused. We told the fake Microsoft tech, he needed to release our computer.

Finally, we took my computer to the local Best Buy Geek Squad. We told them the problem, they were able to clear our computer of the harmful **** that the fake microsoft tech put on our computer. We reported this, on your Microsoft website of this scam, but we have not received a response from Microsoft. Microsoft sends messages when it is time to renew your Microsoft 365, but it difficult to get a live person to talk to you and the telephone number listed, the robot on the phone is not reliable to assist with forwarding you to a live person.

My bank urged us to contact Microsoft again to report this abuse and seek reimbursement for this scam.

Answer 1

In April 2023, we were scammed by a fake microsoft tech. We received a message on our computer that it had been hacked and we need to call the Microsoft number on the screen. We paid $615.00 to clean up the problem. However, on July 3, the message appeared on our computer again along with pornography pictures. This time, the fake microsoft tech wanted us to pay over $2,000.00 to purchase a software that would resolve this new computer problem. When we refused, we were verbally abused. We told the fake Microsoft tech, he needed to release our computer.

Finally, we took my computer to the local Best Buy Geek Squad. We told them the problem, they were able to clear our computer of the harmful **** that the fake microsoft tech put on our computer. We reported this, on your Microsoft website of this scam, but we have not received a response from Microsoft. Microsoft sends messages when it is time to renew your Microsoft 365, but it difficult to get a live person to talk to you and the telephone number listed, the robot on the phone is not reliable to assist with forwarding you to a live person.

My bank urged us to contact Microsoft again to report this abuse and seek reimbursement for this scam.

Donna,

Please think logically for a moment. You already understand this person wasn't a true Microsoft employee and instead describe them multiple times in your post as "a fake Microsoft tech", which in truth was actually what's called a 'Tech Support' scammer whom you called yourself using the phone number displayed in a false Tech Support - phishing - browser popup.

This means that as you already know, Microsoft itself had nothing to do with this obvious scam message nor the scammer who answered the phone at the fake number that you called.

So why in the world would you ever believe the contact at your bank that Microsoft should reimburse you for money that you personally chose to pay for these fake services to a scammer? And why in fact would your banker ever send you to Microsoft for this when it's obvious even to you that this isn't their responsibility?

The only reason I can see is that they don't wish to try to explain these details to you themselves and are leaving it to Microsoft, since you should instead have told your bank to stop payment if the method used was a check, or more likely the bank should simply have told you that the credit card or other payment for the first scam in April was well past the date by which any recovery was possible, thus that money was already long gone.

Microsoft has obviously never had anything to do with these Tech Support scams abusing their names, that's the false idea they try to put in people's minds to get them to believe these relatively ancient confidence (i.e., Con) games they play on unsuspecting people. Thus, Microsoft itself just as obviously has no responsibility for the scams other than to try and inform their customers via methods such as the following web pages that have been around for many years now, among many others both on Microsoft's and other websites like the US FTC one below.

Protect yourself from tech support scams - Microsoft Support

Tech support scams adapt and persist in 2021, per new Microsoft research - Microsoft On the Issues

How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams | Consumer Advice

Answer 2

Yesterday, I was on the computer when some authentic-looking Microsoft warnings popped up. They had the colors and icons of genuine Microsoft messages. I called the number listed. Eventually, I figured out that it was a scam. Some guys with European names who did not sound European were able to get into what looked like my browser history and came up with some items suggesting I had been hacked and used my info to connect with ****. They put me on a supposedly secure line with my bank and I was told someone was tapping into my bank for $6500. It was too late to block the activity. They wanted me to go get a card for that amount and supposedly block it that way. It was at that point that I finally realized it was a scam and hung up. One phone number they cited was 810-204-9657. Do you have any features called 'Windows Defender?' That was something else they mentioned.

Answer 3

Donna,

I'm not a Microsoft employee and in fact on a tiny handful of those helping here are, most of us are volunteer users like yourself and in my case I'm also a senior, but I've been using computers since my 20's and worked in the computer field all my life.

It's nice that you want to aid others by reporting the history of your particular scams, but in truth you're just one of thousands to millions of people affected each year, which since there's always someone else new to using the Internet, they're unlikely to end in our lifetimes. So in reality Microsoft, the police and all of the official operations like the US FTC, as well as the banks are fully aware this problem continues.

I think they all just want you to realize this for yourself and that you need to learn to recognize and avoid them in the future, which is why I provided the links to aid in better understanding them.

The reason people like me tend to receive less of these scams is we've taken relatively extreme measures to avoid being a target, like keeping our cellular phone numbers unpublished and only provided to a handful of major businesses whom we trust, as well as using the newer technologies the smartphones provide to both watch for and reject potential spam (scam) calls.

The key thing to understand is that no one calling you out of the blue is ever whom they claim to be today, since nearly no valid business makes cold calls anymore, so just hang up.

The friendly business call is a thing of the distant past and the world where people where helpful and safe to talk to is gone with it. The only people you should accept calls from are people you know well and recognize, and even these will eventually become risky as the AI (Artificial Intelligence) you're hearing about lately in the news progresses to the level that scammers start to use it to fake the voices or even video images of friends.

Rob

Answer 4

Hello Donna

My name is Fred.

I'm sorry about the situation you're going through, but here on the forum most people are users like you and we can't access your information, only technical support can.

Then I advise you to insist by phone, email, or chat here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-bil...

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus

Also, see this reference to a similar case:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/fo...

Best Regards,

Fred

Answer 5

In April 2023, we were scammed by a fake microsoft tech. We received a message on our computer that it had been hacked and we need to call the Microsoft number on the screen. We paid $615.00 to clean up the problem. However, on July 3, the message appeared on our computer again along with pornography pictures. This time, the fake microsoft tech wanted us to pay over $2,000.00 to purchase a software that would resolve this new computer problem. When we refused, we were verbally abused. We told the fake Microsoft tech, he needed to release our computer.

Finally, we took my computer to the local Best Buy Geek Squad. We told them the problem, they were able to clear our computer of the harmful **** that the fake microsoft tech put on our computer. We reported this, on your Microsoft website of this scam, but we have not received a response from Microsoft. Microsoft sends messages when it is time to renew your Microsoft 365, but it difficult to get a live person to talk to you and the telephone number listed, the robot on the phone is not reliable to assist with forwarding you to a live person.

My bank urged us to contact Microsoft again to report this abuse and seek reimbursement for this scam.

Donna,

Please think logically for a moment. You already understand this person wasn't a true Microsoft employee and instead describe them multiple times in your post as "a fake Microsoft tech", which in truth was actually what's called a 'Tech Support' scammer whom you called yourself using the phone number displayed in a false Tech Support - phishing - browser popup.

This means that as you already know, Microsoft itself had nothing to do with this obvious scam message nor the scammer who answered the phone at the fake number that you called.

So why in the world would you ever believe the contact at your bank that Microsoft should reimburse you for money that you personally chose to pay for these fake services to a scammer? And why in fact would your banker ever send you to Microsoft for this when it's obvious even to you that this isn't their responsibility?

The only reason I can see is that they don't wish to try to explain these details to you themselves and are leaving it to Microsoft, since you should instead have told your bank to stop payment if the method used was a check, or more likely the bank should simply have told you that the credit card or other payment for the first scam in April was well past the date by which any recovery was possible, thus that money was already long gone.

Microsoft has obviously never had anything to do with these Tech Support scams abusing their names, that's the false idea they try to put in people's minds to get them to believe these relatively ancient confidence (i.e., Con) games they play on unsuspecting people. Thus, Microsoft itself just as obviously has no responsibility for the scams other than to try and inform their customers via methods such as the following web pages that have been around for many years now, among many others both on Microsoft's and other websites like the US FTC one below.

Protect yourself from tech support scams - Microsoft Support

Tech support scams adapt and persist in 2021, per new Microsoft research - Microsoft On the Issues

How To Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams | Consumer Advice

Mr. Koch,

We understand Microsoft was not responsible for these Tech Support scams that use Microsoft's name. We also recently became aware that Microsoft website have information about these fake techs. However, your website also states that consumers should report scams that they have experienced. My husband and I have reported this to the Police Department about this incident. We wanted Microsoft and the Police Department are aware that this continues to exist. My bank has no problem reimbursing us for the money.

We are Seniors learning how to use the newer computer technology of Microsoft and Windows 11. Prior to this, we never had this problem. Now, we are required to pay Microsoft 365 annually to use Word, Publishers, and other services. Microsoft employees may not experience being scammed on their computers, but scamming appears in other everyday things that we do.

God Bless