We’re issuing this Threat Alert due to a recent uptick in Microsoft Tech Support Scam Calls. Customers are reporting they received a call from Microsoft claiming either something on their computer is broken or that someone has been trying to break into their computer. The scammer then remotes into their machine and produces fake evidence to convince the victim that the computer is infected with malware or compromised by a hacker.
Do not be fooled. First, Microsoft or its partners will never call customers and charge you for computer repairs. Microsoft does occasionally work with Internet Service Providers to clean up computers involved in botnet takedowns, but those calls will always come directly from your Internet Service Provider and you can verify that you are their customer. Cybercriminals who call you claiming to be Microsoft Tech Support attempt to gain access to your computer so they can trick you into installing malicious software that captures sensitive data like your banking information. They try to take control of your computer remotely, request credit card information so they can bill you for phony services, or direct you to fraudulent web sites where you enter personal and financial information. They often claim to be from these organizations: Windows Helpdesk, Windows Service Center, Microsoft Tech Support, Microsoft Support, Windows Technical Department Support Group, Microsoft Research and Development Team (Microsoft R & D Team) or another similar aliases.
We encourage you to notify your employees and customers of this risk and encourage them to take the following steps to avoid Microsoft Tech Support phone scams:
•Do not trust unsolicited calls. Do not provide any personal information.
•Do not purchase any software or services. Never provide your credit card or financial information to someone claiming to be from Microsoft Tech Support.
•Ask if there is a fee or subscription associated with the “service.” If there is, hang up.
•Never give control of your computer to a third party unless you can confirm that it is a legitimate representative of a computer support team with whom you are already a customer.
•Take the caller’s information down and immediately report it to your local authorities.
Contact TotalTech Services at (877) 373-3320 if you have customers who need assistance with virus removal from newly infected machines. Please let us know if you have any questions on the above alert. With a very-high impact and an increasing incident rate, we strongly encourage you to share this with your associates and your customers to help keep damage to a minimum for everyone.
