An alleged employee of the software manufacturer Microsoft stole over four thousand euros on Wednesday.

Nasty “Microsoft” scam: The man called an older couple that morning. Under the pretext of having to change the system, the unknown man gained remote access to the couple's computer. In doing so, they opened the door to their sensitive banking and access data. As a result, the fake Microsoft man initiated six transfers.

The police recommend that older people in particular not engage in such phone calls with alleged computer experts and fake police officers and instead ask the local police for advice.

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General Note: Microsoft does not send unsolicited email or make unsolicited calls to request personal or financial information or to provide support for problems with your computer. Any communication with Microsoft must be initiated you

Microsoft itself writes on this topic:

Support scams are an industry-wide problem. Scammers try to convince you to pay for unnecessary technical support services to fix device, platform, or software problems by describing supposed problems.

How scammers approach support scams

The scammers call you directly and pretend to be employees of a software company. You can even spoof the phone number displayed to show a valid support number from a trusted company. Then you will usually be asked to install applications that allow remote access to your device. Using remote access, the sophisticated fraudsters are able to manipulate normal system output to appear problematic. Scammers can also initiate contact by displaying fake error messages on websites you visit and providing support numbers to trick you into calling them. You can also switch your browser to full screen mode and display pop-up messages that do not disappear and hinder the use of your browser. These fake error messages are intended to prompt you to call a specified technical support hotline.

Important: Microsoft error and warning messages never contain phone numbers.

If you engage with the scammers, you may be offered solutions to your “problems” and asked to pay a one-time fee or subscribe to a supposed support service.

Important: Windows 10 includes Windows Security, a built-in security app that automatically updates to protect your device.

What to do if support scammers already have your information

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Note: Performing severe recovery methods such as: Some tasks, such as resetting your device, can be a bit time-consuming. However, this may be the best option in some situations, such as when fake error codes and messages keep popping up, practically preventing you from using the device.

Sources: Rotenburg Police Department , Microsoft
Article image: Shutterstock / By r.classen


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