Scammers pretending to be Microsoft technicians call victims to gain access to their computers and hold their data for ransom. This Microsoft impersonation scam has been around since at least 2009 and has been run on computer users to extort money. Scammers will call you and identify themselves as technicians from Microsoft, then tell you that your Windows computer has a virus (or other problem) that is causing it to generate error messages on the Internet. The scammer will offer to help and have you enter a number of commands so that they can remotely work on your computer.
Microsoft does not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer.
Microsoft will never call you to tell you something is wrong with your computer. You should dismiss as frauds any phone calls, e-mails, and online communications from anyone who claims they work for Microsoft and have detected something wrong with your computer.
There are different goals based on this scam, some include:
- attempt to sell you overpriced anti-virus protection.
- attempt to sell you a annual protection plan.
- remotely repair your virus problem to gain access to your computer and data, including banking data
- direct you to a web site where you are urged to download software to fix your problem
- lock you out of your computer and demand ransom in order for you to regain access (see SAM Hive Encryption)
- demand ransom or your data will be completely wiped and removed
The scammers use social engineering tactics and are known to be very convincing, clever, and tenacious.