"Microsoft" Scam. YTech Solutions

[Bane]

Had a phone call today from a guy in India (I assume, he SOUNDED Indian).

He informed me that he was from Microsoft and that my pc had been flagging up with various threats/viruses installed on my harddrive.

Let me digress awhile...

This same man had phoned me several months previously regarding the same matter. He asked me to turn on my laptop so we could resolve the "issue". I told him no, I was on my way out and how did I know he was from Microsoft? Because he said so?

I called my brother and told him what had happened and he recounted that he had a similiar experience but it turned out to be legit.

Fine I thought, if he returns the call I shall entertain him.

2-3 months ago, same guy, same type of call, same scenario. Told him no, I was going out.

Back to present day!

Phoned today, same guy, blah, blah, blah.

He asked me to enter a site (login123.com) and this gave their "technicians" remote control/access to my laptop :Blushing

I was then guided towards a programme called Advanced Windows Care (I believe) which flagged up X amount of warnings.

During all this my partner typed in Advanced Windows Care on her pc and it is apparently a legit programme (I must stress, I DO NOT think/imply that AWC is in ANYWAY connected to YTech Solutions) so this, coupled with the VERY convincing guy on the phone made me think maybe this was an employee of Microsoft.

Anyway, it eventually transpires that they want me to purchase a Service Warranty from them for between

 

[M107]

Thanks for that Bane..

 

[m4tty]

Yeah cheers for the heads up mate always good to let everyone know about these scammers. Cheers

 

[a1]

The scammers behind this scheme have now begun installing software that they buy with the victim

 

[steptoe]

Im not about to make a smart comment on this, peoples hard earned is at stake, but I would echo canoeboy, tell them you use Ubuntu, even though you dont, and see what they make of it!

 

[NozSpark]

I'm sorry, but how the hell can someone in some remote country know that you're having problems with your PC??

To allow someone who calls you access to your PC remotely is insanely stupid... It would be an entirely different thing if you called them!

 

[steptoe]

Its M$ , like apple , it automatically tells Bill exactly everything you do, or are trying to do, or have done, you agree to this when you install windoze.

As I said, Apple have recently been caught out doing something similar with the IPAD/IPHONE range.

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But, I do agree, why would you tell a cold caller your bank details?

Can I have your phone number please,? You seem to have a problem with your electricity pressure and we can increase it for

 

[Bane]

Yes NozSpark, I am well aware of the stupidity of it and I would appreciate if you or anyone else would refrain from making patronising comments.

I didn't have to post this and highlight my "insane stupidity" but I'm not above highlighting my "insane stupidity" if it prevents at least one solitary person from being duped.

 

[steptoe]

Bane, sorry if that includes me, I certainly didnt intend to be derogatory, and yes, it is good of you to point this scam out to the rest of us.

 

[Sidewinder]

Bane,

Well done for sharing.

I do tend to have a different tack with these kinds of people!

Can't repeat it on here though!

As you say if it prevents one more person from being duped then it is worth it.

 

[ianmacd]

Ask them for your WAN address (its like your postcode) - if they give you one tell em they are wrong as they will only be guessing or making it upThen ask them if they know what Ubuntu or osX is, if they ask why tell em cos you run linux and dont use windows so havent the foggiest what they are on about !

OS X is based on BSD. Nothing to do with Linux (apart from Linux has loads of BSD parts too but they decided that they didn't want to be a proper Unix).

 

[Sidewinder]

Yep!

 

[ianmacd]

Agreed, but closer to Linux that anything bill does, so I was talking generally sorry if I misquoted.Do many people know what unix is then ?

Depends which part. Bill ripped off the TCP stack from BSD (much like Linux did actually) along with some other bits, introduced a load of bugs and stamped a huge price on it.

 

[steptoe]

GNUs not.

 

[ianmacd]

GNUs not.

A programmers hobby nearly 30 years in the making and still no nearer completion. Maybe stallman should have gone to Berkeley, he might have finished something then. They did develop sysv and bsd after all.

 

[steptoe]

but what do you make of windows?

a 'professional' product with millions invested in it, still nowhere near completion and still not as good as some peoples hobbies.!

 

[ianmacd]

but what do you make of windows?a 'professional' product with millions invested in it, still nowhere near completion and still not as good as some peoples hobbies.!

The right tool for the right job and unfortunately sometimes Microsofts products are the right tools.

 

[Sidewinder]

ian,

Only due to the market share mate!

They are rarely the "right" tool, just the best of a bad bunch, that fit the situation.

 

[ianmacd]

Not at all. There is still nothing that can rival the ease of integration of exchange and outlook for all its functions at an enterprise level. Some come close and surpass in a few areas but nothing does it all.

Also, there is no reasonably priced equivalent of visio (though they did buy that in hence it doesn't integrate well into the office family).

 

[steptoe]

Im really struggling to think of something specialised that M$ do. (apart from the usual security flaws)

it seems more like a jack of all trades master of none,

No designer I know of uses M$, No software security consultants or PEN testers I know of use M$, No major servers I know of use M$, No critical businesses I know of use M$,

its just used by some businesses for the ok desktop environment and day to day stuff, most specialised companies have their own software, but as M$ is the most widespread and on the great majority of home PCs due to Bills subsidy campaign then that is what they port their products to.