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Keep getting calls from Windows saying Computer has been hacked

Anonymous
2018-09-18T12:44:52+00:00

I have had over 20 calls in less than 24 hours from someone saying they are from Windows ( Not Microsoft ). and that people have accessed my laptop and using my name to obtain money. Im not gullible but he is so persistent now im worried my laptop has been hacked as its been playing up last few days. Is this a scam  as i am so stressed out with these constant phone calls.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Security and privacy

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-09-18T13:40:55+00:00

    It is a Scam.

    Microsoft will never contact you with cold-calls, popups, etc.

    This is the advice given to anyone who has any phone calls, etc. like this about Malware, License Expiry, Refunds, etc..

    And your machine does not send out messages to anyone saying that it has problems or is infected with Malware, etc.

    We all have errors and warnings in our event viewer, which is another ploy they use to scare you

    These so-called "Microsoft" Tech Companies either want to sell you worthless software, or gain Remote Access to your Computer to try and steal your Banking and Credit Card details and to also carry out an Identity Theft on you.

    You are the only one who knows if you have given them Remote Access.

    If you have given them Remote Access and if you do Internet Banking, contact your Bank, explain it to them and change Passwords.

    If you use your Credit Card online, cancel it and get a new one issued to you.

    And the only way that you willl know that you are free of them is to save your Data and do a clean install of your Operating System.

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    And Microsoft does not contact you, unless YOU have made prior arrangements with them to do so.

    There is a section in the link I am supplying you about this at the end of it

    Read this Microsoft Information:

    "Avoid tech support phone scams"

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx

    Do not trust unsolicited calls. Do not provide any personal information.

    Here are some of the organizations that cybercriminals claim to be from:

    • Windows Helpdesk
    • Windows Service Center
    • Microsoft Tech Support
    • Microsoft Support
    • Windows Technical Department Support Group
    • Microsoft Research and Development Team (Microsoft R & D Team)

    Report phone scams

    Cheers.

    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Anonymous
    2018-09-18T13:21:24+00:00

    That is a scam. Have you allowed remote access to anyone in the near time?

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2018-09-18T14:00:25+00:00

    A lot of these calls also come from overseas countries that are outside western law enforcement jurisdiction.

    And, if by a coincidence, you say that you are having problems with your operating system:

    See if this assists you to improve performance.

    Scan for Malware with the FREE version of this Program.

    And do not accept the "Pay for version" Trial option during installation

    Download, install, update and scan your System with the free version of Malwarebytes AntiMalware::

    http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes\_free

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    You can clean up your Hard Drive using these two methods.

    "Delete files using Disk Cleanup"

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/delete-files-using-disk-cleanup#delete-files-using-disk-cleanup=windows-8

    Using the Free CCleaner Program:

    http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

    Under NO condition use the Registry cleaning Option in CCleaner

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    Make sure that you have the latest updated Drivers:

    Go to your Computer or Hardware Manufacture's website > Driver and Software Support Section > look up your Computer or Hardware Model number > then your Operating System > locate the correct Drivers > download and install them.

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    Speed up your computer:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/3064207/speed-up-your-computer

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    "How to Optimize the Performance of Windows 8 and 8.1"

    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/37511-optimize-performance-windows-8-a.html

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    This is worthwhile reading too:

    "How to Optimize Windows 8.1 for a desktop PC"

    http://www.howtogeek.com/167013/how-to-optimize-windows-8.1-for-a-desktop-pc/

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    **"**Performance & maintenance"

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/performance-maintenance-help#performance-maintenance-help=windows-8&v1h=win8tab1&v2h=win7tab1&v3h=winvistatab1

    @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

    And I would check to see if there are corrupted System Files.

    Each Method/step below progresses to the next if the first does not fix any corrupted files that are found, etc.

    "Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files"

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929833

    _________________________________________________

    And these eightforums.com Tutorials are very detailed for problems resulting from SFC Scan:

    "How to Run "SFC /SCANNOW" Command at Boot or in Windows 8 and 8.1"

    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/3047-sfc-scannow-command-run-windows-8-a.html

    Read this Section there in conjunction with the rest of the information they give in above link.

       Note

    If SFC could not fix something, then run the command again to see if it may be able to the next time. Sometimes it may take running the sfc /scannow command 3 times restarting the PC after each time to completely fix everything that it's able to.

    If not, then run the **Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth**command to repair any component store corruption, restart the PC afterwards, and try the sfc /scannow command again.

    If still not, then try using OPTION ONE above to run the sfc /scannow command at boot

    If still not, then you could do a refresh of Windows 8, or run a System Restore using a restore point dated before the bad file occured to fix it. You may need to repeat doing a System Restore until you find a older restore point that may work.

    If still not, then you can use the steps in the TIP box in the OPTION THREE section to manually replace the files that SFC could not fix.

    __________________________________________________

    "How to Refresh Windows 8 and Windows 8.1"

    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2293-refresh-windows-8-a.html

    Refreshing your PC goes like this:

    • The PC boots into Windows RE (RecoveryEnvironment).
    • Windows RE scans the hard drive for your data, settings, and apps, and puts them aside (on the same drive).
    • Windows RE installs a fresh copy of Windows.
    • Windows RE restores the data, settings, and apps it has set aside into the newly installed copy of Windows.
    • The PC restarts into the newly installed copy of Windows.

    _________________________________________________

    "How to Reset Windows 8 and Windows 8.1"

    http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2302-reset-windows-8-a.html

    "When you reset your PC, the drive will be completely reset, and all your apps and files will be removed from it. Windows 8 will be reinstalled, and you'll need to change any settings and reinstall any apps that you want to get back after resetting. If you know if any files that you don't want to lose, then you should back those files up before starting the reset"

    Cheers.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-09-18T13:55:28+00:00

    Thank you so much for your help. I feel a lot better now.

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  5. Anonymous
    2018-09-18T13:53:29+00:00

    No i have never allowed remote access and im the only one that uses my laptop. It was just worrying as being disabled with poor mobility i have to keep getting up to answer the calls. I've had another 10 in last couple of hours and its distressing as cant block them as out of area .

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