Telephone scam

Just to make you all aware, there is a new telephone scam on the go at the moment.  It's widely here in the UK but I don't know if it is worldwide...yet.

You will receive a telephone call from someone saying that there is a problem with "Windows".and they are the Windows security people (the word Microsoft is not mentioned but obviously is implied).  They will ask you to get in front of your computer and they will direct you to a link which you need to download to fix the problem.  The download is actually a virus that sends information like bank details, credit card details, email addresses, login information from your computer. 

I've heard several people talking about this and I actually received a call.  I told the man to hang on a moment.  He asked why and I said I was going to call my son who works for Microsoft to see what he has to say about it and with that, he hung up.

Please be careful - I know you guys are pretty much on the ball with things like this but I thought I should warn you about this latest scam.

blue

Thanks for the info blue!!!

Have you ever hit the wrong 'thank you'...?  lol  Ah well, thanks rose for thanking blue   

If these criminals would put their energy to working at a decent job, they'd not have to fear reprisals from law enforcement.

Sadly, these are the type who prey mainly on the elderly.

Here's a scam for ya...

Back three years ago, we had put an ad in the local paper to sell a scooter. Out of the blue, I get a phone call. It's an operator supposedly talking for a disabled person who was interested in the scooter. She said since that person wasn't able to use the phone, would I give out my email so 'they' could contact me about the scooter. So, i did.
I received an email not long after that stating they were interested. I emailed back, sent pics. A male emailed stating his ailing mother was in need of a scooter and was wondering if I could have it shipped to where they were at.
This is the email he had sent me:

Goodday Gail,
Thanks very much for your response,The reason I am sending you this email is to make final reconfirmation of (scooter)which is ok by me,and also to let you know that payment will be by certified cashier's check or money order. In view of this I need you to email me any information that may be required to send the payment as I do not want to send the check to a wrong location lest they get into the wrong hands.

Regarding the shipping, I have a company that takes care of the pickup of my consignments for me and ship to my destination in anywhere in the U.S.A, you do not worry about shipping, the company will send down a representative to arrange the sales documentation and the pick up from your end for onward transfer to my destination.

I also want to alert you on the fact that you will be receiving an overdraft check, which will cover the money for the pickup (pickup and  shipping to the final destination) as well as the money to be paid to the company that will take care of the pickup and the documentation  with you. So please, as soon as you receive the payment, go and cash it immediately, deduct the money that accrues to you, and send  the balance to the Head Office of the company that handles the shipment via Western union.
The check will be in your name to make it  easier for you to receive payment, please reconfirm your details one more time.I will give you the details of the company that will be  shipping it as soon as we seal this deal.Once the money is received by the agent , the shipping agent will contact you immediately to  arrange the documentation as well as the pick up immediately.
So in view of the above, here are some of  the details I will need for final issuance of the check or money order to you.
       
          (1) Full Name.........
          (2) contact... address....
          (3) Your direct telephone both home and cell .....
          {4} Acceptance of my offer...........
          (5) Final asking price..........
       
        Once you get back to me with all the above, the check will be issued out immediately and it will be sent to you .Hope to hear from you immediately.Looking forward to your swift response.i will offer you extra $50 for keeping sold for me..........
        Hope to hear from you immediately.

          Regards
I received the check in the mail. By then, I'm thinking something isn't right. The bank looked at it and sure enough, it was counterfeit.
Do you know that he called me on my cell and told me to send his money back! I laughed and told him it was counterfeit. He argued with me, called me I don't know how many times after that even though I told him I was going to report him.. He finally gave up when I quit answering his calls.
Btw, the envelope the check came in was postmarked London. The guy sounded foreign, maybe Indian.

Why are people so gullible.  If anyone calls or stops by for any info... they don't get it. 

Can you imagine actually going to your computer with phone in hand while speaking to a complete stranger and having them wait while you dig through your purse for your credit card and actually giving them the numbers?  OY

Just one time stupid.....? never gullible. I gave out my cell number thinking this person wanted to buy a scooter. The emails that were sent, before the one I posted, were 'normal'. Who woulda thunk some scammer from another country would be searching for 'stupid targets' through local want ads 

Lol Gabby. No worries  and Thanks

Wow Lips. So sorry for her. I can understand her thinking it was legit. What I can't understand is her going to a warehouse alone to meet some guy she never met.
That reminds me of the time (off the subject) sis and I were shopping and came across a junk store. The owners were some rough looking characters. I didn't think much about them till she heads down to a basement to scavenge through some more junk. I looked at her and said, 'There ain't no way I'm going down there. They could lock the doors behind us and no one would be the wiser'. She looks at me like the pussy that I am and proceeds down the stairs (she's a one-time stupid). Not 30 seconds later, she's back upstairs, giving thought to what I had said 

That's a pretty obvious scam, Microsoft will never ever call a Windows owner, never!