We\u2019re regularly asked about phone calls from \u201cMicrosoft\u201d claiming that your computer is infected, and whether or not it is a scam \u2013 it is. Sometimes it\u2019s a call from another \u201ctech support\u201d company, or a warning message on your screen. The truth is that Microsoft and other companies will not contact you to tell you that you have a computer problem through a phone call, email, or a pop-up warning message.<\/p>\n
These scams are nothing new. We blogged<\/a> about this previously in April of 2013 and a lot has changed in the malware world since then, but these scams continue. That we\u2019re bringing these scams up again tells you one thing though \u2013 people continue to fall for them \u2013 don\u2019t let yourself become a victim of one of these scammers.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re contacted by one of these scammers, hang up, don\u2019t click that link, and don\u2019t call that number. Usually they\u2019ll try to get them to let you access your computer remotely \u2013 don\u2019t let them, and certainly don\u2019t give them any personal information or a credit card number.<\/p>\n As long as you don\u2019t let them log on to your computer remotely or download and install any software because of these scams you probably don\u2019t have anything to worry about. These scammers don\u2019t typically install malware on your computer; the scam is to get you to pay for tech support that you don\u2019t actually need.<\/p>\n More information can be found on scams using the Microsoft name at the following links:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/security\/online-privacy\/msname.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n