worried about a potential scam.

You got the right advice.   One more thing.  Do not allow that computer to be online again until the hard drive is erased.  Consider it to be dangerously compromised.

this afternoon I had a blocked message that said it was from Microsoft with a number to call.  I called that number and ended up with a company called SYSTECH SUPPORT.  Is this really connected with Microsoft, or was it a scam? He spent considerable time showing me problems with my computer and sold me protection programs.  

SCAM.

Bill Smithers has it in a nutshell.

DO what he has stated to protect yourself and contact your Bank.

Try what Lacrumb has stated to try and remove any of these Programs that you have been sold and may be malicious and  may now be installed on your computer.

Check in your ADD or REMOVE PROGRAMS Folder for the so called Protection Programs that you were sold, and if by chance if they were installed try to Un-install them and only them.

Depending on how devious they were this may not always be possible due to where the files may be hidden / how many folders they may spread through / the parts of the Registry they affect / or Rootkits.

Try running MS Security Essentials / any Anti Virus Progs that you have installed / Malwarebytes in whats called SAFE MODE.

To enter SAFE MODE tap the F8 KEY whilst booting your computer.

Once SAFE MODE  has loaded see if you can run the MS Security Essentials and Malwarebytes and let them do a scan to see if they locate anything in relations to what you have been sold  and may be installed.

Turn OFF : Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer.

Go to the START MENU.

Type in :  Allow remote assistance.

Select and open : Allow remote assistance invitations to be sent from this computer.

In REMOTE ASSISTANCE Remove CHECK MARK from Allow remote assistance connections to this computer.

In REMOTE DESKTOP select Don`t allow connections to this computer.

Then click APPLY and OK.

There are many other ways that scammers can access you computer.

For instance they can con you into downloading LOGMEIN ( a remote access type of app ) and there fore bypass the above.

Be very wary of any such calls / messages / requests and in general do not answer them.

Identity Theft is on the rise and used for many ill gotten gains.

Microsoft does not cold call you or message you in such a way.

this afternoon I had a blocked message that said it was from Microsoft with a number to call.  I called that number and ended up with a company called SYSTECH SUPPORT.  Is this really connected with Microsoft, or was it a scam? He spent considerable time showing me problems with my computer and sold me protection programs.

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.

As 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.

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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

• Help Microsoft stop cybercriminals by reportinginformation about your phone scam.
• In the United States, use the FTC Complaint Assistant form.
• In Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) can provide support.
• In the United Kingdom, you can report fraud as well as unsolicited calls.

Cheers.

It is a scam as Microsoft does not call you unless you called them first.

Run Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes right away.

Those protection programs give them access to your computer.