Beauty

[fortune]

I've been getting a rash of phone calls- from cell phones and land-lines in various states. In each case, it's a non-English speaking male that claims to be from a Microsoft security service. He says that your computer is downloading malware and that it will crash if you don't let him help you.

He then asks you to get on your computer and follow his directions. I didn't fall for it, but I've been getting these same calls daily--sometimes several times a day. Each time, they're from a different phone number.

It's a scam, obviously. The last one I talked to, I said I didn't care if my computer was downloading malware and crashed. He didn't know what to say and hung up.

[Cookie777]

I got one too, a guy with an Indian accent

[IControlMyHappiness]

I don't answer any phone calls from unknown numbers PERIOD.....if they KNOW ME....guess what...they will leave a message and I can call them back. I don't answer any unknown, unavailable and any mysterious phone numbers. People who call you on the regular, you KNOW their number....it is too much scamming nowadays.

[Krimpette]

I'm so glad I have caller ID. Saves a whole lot of grief.

[fortune]

The caller ID said John Roswell from a 917 number. I Goggled that name and found that a LOT of people are getting calls from this name from MANY different 917 phone numbers.

[geezerette]

We've gotten several of these types of calls over the last couple of years. The last one I let my husband handle; he had a fine time putting the guy on for several minutes.

I once Googled this topic and found several articles about it. Microsoft itself has some articles talking about these types of scams.

We get all sorts of phone calls similar to this; I think it's because we still have a landline and are listed in the phone book. I also think that once some of these places know that they can get a real human being to answer the phone, they keep calling over and over. We often let our calls go to our answering machine for that very reason.

[sgraham30]

If I don't recognize a phone number, I don't answer the phone. If it's a valid call, they'll leave a message.

[Lipstickdiva]

This scam has been going on for a very long time. I happened to answer the phone at work and it was someone telling me about this malware and it was at least a year ago.

[Perkup]

I answer the phone, but only to push a recorder that says, "You have reached a number that a does not accept calls from unidentified or 800 numbers. Please call back when you are not ashamed to identify yourself." And I hang up.

So far, it has cut way down on the annoyance calls.

[dooBdoo]

This is an old scam that never seems to go away. The best advice: if you don't recognize the name/number on caller ID or if it's from a company that doesn't do "cold calls" (like Microsoft, Apple, etc.) do not answer.

Definitely don't talk to anyone or press any buttons if you do answer.

They don't target specific numbers. They use an automated robo-calling system that scrolls numerically through random phone numbers hoping someone will answer.

If you do answer, talk, or press buttons, you can be sure your number has just been added to a list of "live" numbers and it will be re-used and most likely shared with or sold to other criminals.