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DEFENDER SCAM

J William Louda 0 Reputation points
2025-11-06T18:41:09.85+00:00

To MICROSOFT                                                       6 November 2025

 

On Wednesday November 5, 2025 I mistakenly clicked on a SPAM link. It had the name of a Friend of Mine (Greg Longhurst), but, in retrospect, it really was not his email. This took me to a “Microsoft looking” computer blockage (see pictures at end of this note).  I called the number (833-608-4051) and got someone who wanted control of my PC. I unfortunately allowed access and the screen was then cleared by her (name = May ?). The “removal of old Defender and installation of updated Defender’ supposedly went through (Reference ID:  REF-A6B-FE8-3E9).

Following that several phone calls came in to me. These were aimed at getting bank info for a $ 150.00 refund.  These numbers and call locations were:  (314)292-9781 [Lanue,Mo.];  (878)293-1667 [Beaver Falls, Pa.]; (833) 608-4051 [Unknown[; (704)224-9224 {Kannapous, N.C.; Name = Royce Blake]. Lastly, I got a call from Dave Patel at (314)292-9781 with ID = MSE8686. He ran the {SUPPOSED} Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool (5.136.25100.1002). That took about 45 minutes and ”showed” 0 (zero) infections.

          Only After-the-Fact did I Goggle search and find out about this $ 150.00 rebate Defender scam. I am having my university’s IT team go over this research PC for me.

          Does Microsoft have and/or recognize any of these phone numbers and/or people?

 

          Dr. J. William Louda    561-797-1852   ******@fau.edu

          Computer ID (DEVICE NAME) =  D4CHSWP3

          Owned by Florida Atlantic University

 

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Defender | Microsoft Defender for Office 365
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  1. J William Louda 0 Reputation points
    2025-11-06T18:44:35.9233333+00:00

    Is there ANY WAY to talk to a real person and/or send an email??

    All this AI is yuk.

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  2. AI answer

    2025-11-06T18:41:25.0433333+00:00

    It appears that you have encountered a tech support scam, which is a common issue where scammers impersonate legitimate companies like Microsoft to trick individuals into providing personal information or allowing remote access to their devices. The phone numbers and names you mentioned are likely associated with these scams, as Microsoft does not make unsolicited calls or request personal information over the phone.

    To protect yourself and report this incident:

    1. Do not engage further with the scammers. Avoid providing any personal or financial information.
    2. Contact your bank or financial institutions if you provided any information or made payments.
    3. Run a full scan with Microsoft Defender Antivirus to check for any malware that may have been installed during the remote access.
    4. Report the scam to Microsoft through their official channels. You can report tech support scams at Report a scam.
    5. Educate yourself about the signs of phishing and tech support scams to avoid similar situations in the future.

    Microsoft does not recognize the phone numbers you provided as legitimate support contacts. Always ensure that any communication with Microsoft is initiated by you through official channels.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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