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Ted McElroy

updated

10 years ago

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1518

April 8th, 2016 11:00

Scam call?

This morning I received a call on my mobile phone from an Adam at 516-210-0398 (Nassau County, NY) claiming to be from Technical Support and that my computer was downloading problems from web sites and offered to prove he was legitimate by offering to tell me the license number of my computer.  Next he had me do some config.com screens to show me all the Windows boxes checked causing problems. Then he had me go to supremo.com and wanted me to download it. I demurred. Is this a scam or is it legitimate?

  • beamermt79

    6 Operator

    2342 Posts

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    Posted April 8th, 2016 16:00

    Dell doesn't actively contact people regarding issues; as far as I know they do not have the setup to monitor people's computers without consent. Read this.

    (edited)

  • 555

    0

    Posted April 8th, 2016 17:00

    I filled out your form but it disappeared with no action from me.

  • beamermt79

    6 Operator

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    Posted April 9th, 2016 10:00

    You can always try again but if the site is acting up and they ever call again, never release your personal information and just block the call.  Unless you call Dell yourself i'd be wary in this day and age. 

  • DELL-Chris M

    Community Manager

    56891 Posts

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    Posted April 9th, 2016 15:00

    Once you fill out ALL the fields in the secure form, you click "Submit Report" and then should see this screen =

    If it did not appear, then you left some fields blank.


    DELL-Chris M (old account)

    #IWork4Dell

  • ncn45664

    1 Message

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    Posted April 9th, 2016 16:00

    I have been getting several calls a week, and they are persistent.  In various calls, I probed to get info they had.  They know my PC, phone, and e-mail.  This can only be a breach by Dell or an inside job in India.  They call from various numbers.  When I told them they are not calling from what looks like a Dell number, they called back within a few minutes with caller ID of an 800 number.  Caller IDs have been my area code, 00000000, 800, 888 and restricted.  After about 20 calls total, today I had time and they walked me through going going to the Windows event viewer, having me view errors or warnings, then telling me they would fix it.  They tried to send me to site  www.fff.re.  I did not go to it letting him know it did not look like a Dell site.  To see where he would take me next, I told him I knew exactly what he was doing and he needs to find an honest living.  Did I report it to Dell on their form?  Nope.  I am hesitant to fill out the Dell form because if Dell let go of my info, won't this form be another way?  Yes, these scammers are criminals, but Dell needs to dig into this and publish this breach.  Hope this helps others.

  • 555

    0

    Posted April 9th, 2016 17:00

    How the Scam Works:

    You get a telephone call from someone claiming to be with tech support from a well-known software company. Microsoft is a popular choice. The callers often have strong accents but use common names such as “Adam” or “Bill.” The scammers may know your name and other personal information, which they get from publicly available phone directories. They might even guess what computer operating system you’re using.

    The caller tells you that your computer is sending error messages, and they’ve detected a virus on it. He says only a tech support employee can remove the virus, but first you need to grant him access to your machine. If you give the OK, the caller will run a scan of your files and actually point out how the virus has infected the computer. The scammers then offer to remove the virus…. for a fee. Of course, they need your credit card details first.

    Here’s the twist. Those who allowed the caller remote access to their computers, whether they paid for the virus to be removed or not, reported difficulties with their computer afterwards, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Some said their computers would not turn on or certain programs/files were inaccessible. Some victims even reported taking their computers for repair, and the technicians confirmed software had been installed.

  • 555

    0

    Posted April 9th, 2016 17:00

    Yes, apparently this is a scam.  This "Adam" guy had a very thick Indian or Pakistan accent and I had difficulty understanding him.  I was suspicious immediately but played along to see what he was up to.