Just got a call from "Microsoft"

It's a scam.

Side note: Their customer support teams are really good. You usually/always end up with someone who can speak very clearly and knows exactly what they are doing. You can even get them to call you to avoid the elevator music. (I know it's weird to gush about this but it was very good).

I got a call like that about two months ago. My colleague took over a trailer rental company and the previous owner's phone is still here. One day it rang, I picked up and a guy sounding exactly like Apu from The Simpsons was on the other end. He said he called from "Windows", insisted on calling me (insert previous owner's name) and said they had found some "corrupted files causing problems" on my computer. I told him that the old guy never even had a computer, just a fax, and then hung up.

Undoubtedly a scam. People have been running this con for a long while.

Yeah, it's definitely a scam. They've actually called me like six or seven times at this point. The last call pretty much went:

Me - "What version of Windows am I running?"

Caller - "You have Microsoft Windows for the computer."

Me - "How do you know I have viruses? What's my I.P. address?"

Caller - "You are in England."

Me - "Please go fuck your mother with a rubber hose."

**********END OF TRANSMISSION**********

This is just one of many iterations of the "How do we convince people to give up their credit card information on the phone" scam. This one was even in the media spotlight in my country.

I might seem ridiculous and a bit funny to most the people in this site, but to older and less computer savvy people this doesn't necessarily seem like a scam.

There is an interesting story from a "willing victim" describing their procedure, and I can definitely see why people might fall for it.

The videos on Youtube of this scam are hilarious, but the racism is not.

It's a common scam.

We get calls at my work about stuff like this all the time.

Microsoft will not randomly call you.

Had one call me once and tell me my computer had been attacked by a malicious hacker. Spent ten minutes drilling him with questions about hacking and hackers that a first year IT student could answer until he gave up and hung up the phone. Good for some shits and gigs on a lazy day.

Someone needs to get Dxtory or Xsplit running and play along with them while recording it.

Best 23 minutes spent EVAH! I was cracking up the entire time.

Aww jeez man, now all the bugs and corrupted files are still in your PC! I feel dirty just posting in this thread.

I don't think a company will ever call you.

Oh wow this is something new. I hope they call me, I want to experience this myself.

I've got a theory here. it was john McCain prank phone calling you.

I haven't received a call from these guys this year yet. I want to though. I'm better prepared than I was last time.

Just now:

"Hello, my name is Sharon, I'm calling from IT DEPARTMENT* in regards to your home computer. You are the main owner of this computer?"

"No."

"Sorry to bother you." [hangs up]

*Seriously. That was the name of their fake company.