Or at least new to me....
Received a call the other day...one of those pause before answered which is the give away for marketing calls...normally I hang up right away. This time I didn't.
Indian accented male asked for me by name and introduced himself as working with a company that works with Microsoft and are helping to clean up Microsoft systems. Didn't catch the name of his company.
The line..."your computer has been sending a large number of error messages to microsoft and this indicates a problem in your system and microsoft have hired them to work with those customers of microsoft with this problem." To illustrate the problem he got me to open a section of my control panel that tracked the error messages sent...and of course over the years, there were a lot of them...we are dealing with microsoft here!
The pitch...."we need you to download a free program that will give us access to your computer to fix this problem. There will be many benefits for you...your computer won't crash and you won't lose programs...and your computer should run faster."
The method..."go to team event website and download their free program that allows you to link a number of computers in your office working in remote locations...i.e. people on the road, working from home etc."
The catch...."when you have downloaded this program I will instruct you how to link my computer to yours then I can clean up your system and fix this problem. Please proceed now, it won't take long"
Needless to say I didn't fall for this and when I said NO he got quite insistent with great lines like..."Why Sir, I am trying to help you..." "Your computer is in imminent danger of crashing, I can help you." "I know you aren't familiar with computers that is why Microsoft hired us to work with you..." etc. etc.
I said that I would get a hold of Microsoft to confirm what he was saying...at this point he got quite insistent that this wasn't necessary, just let him help! The call ended when I hung up...he has called back several times still wanting to help....
Don't know about you folks, but I have no intention of knowingly giving up control of my computer to a disembodied voice from India...key word of course is knowingly!
Received a call the other day...one of those pause before answered which is the give away for marketing calls...normally I hang up right away. This time I didn't.
Indian accented male asked for me by name and introduced himself as working with a company that works with Microsoft and are helping to clean up Microsoft systems. Didn't catch the name of his company.
The line..."your computer has been sending a large number of error messages to microsoft and this indicates a problem in your system and microsoft have hired them to work with those customers of microsoft with this problem." To illustrate the problem he got me to open a section of my control panel that tracked the error messages sent...and of course over the years, there were a lot of them...we are dealing with microsoft here!
The pitch...."we need you to download a free program that will give us access to your computer to fix this problem. There will be many benefits for you...your computer won't crash and you won't lose programs...and your computer should run faster."
The method..."go to team event website and download their free program that allows you to link a number of computers in your office working in remote locations...i.e. people on the road, working from home etc."
The catch...."when you have downloaded this program I will instruct you how to link my computer to yours then I can clean up your system and fix this problem. Please proceed now, it won't take long"
Needless to say I didn't fall for this and when I said NO he got quite insistent with great lines like..."Why Sir, I am trying to help you..." "Your computer is in imminent danger of crashing, I can help you." "I know you aren't familiar with computers that is why Microsoft hired us to work with you..." etc. etc.
I said that I would get a hold of Microsoft to confirm what he was saying...at this point he got quite insistent that this wasn't necessary, just let him help! The call ended when I hung up...he has called back several times still wanting to help....
Don't know about you folks, but I have no intention of knowingly giving up control of my computer to a disembodied voice from India...key word of course is knowingly!
