Comments on: Fake tech support call scam – supportonclick, systemrecure and logmein123.com

By: Jenny

Jenny — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:21:45 +0000

I have been rung 3 times within the last month by these people. The first time they were supportonclick, the 2nd Windows Support Centre and most recently Comantra. They tried to scare me by running eventviewer after claiming that Microsoft, who they are technical partners of, had informed them of problems with my computer. They showed my various errors and warnings in the event log which are absolutely normal and claimed that these proved my computer is infected with viruses, malware …. The first time they wanted £60 and were very worried about the state of my computer and how unrelliable my virus software is. The other two times I didn't let them get as far in the conversation but they were very pressurising : ' You can paint your kitchen any time but your computer needs mending now, once it is broken there will be nothing you can do….' They could not answer questions about which computer I was having problems with or what qualifications they had regarding computers. I was passed on to a technical expert but none of them really understand computers = they argued when I tried to explain that what they were saying was simply untrue. I wonder whether the callers really do think they work for a Microsoft support company and are being scammed themsleves. Comantra claimed their phone number is 0800 488005. The Windows Service Centre gave the number 0141 4163986. Interestingly, I have used the Dell support phone line within the last few months.

By: EDDIE

EDDIE — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:16:58 +0000

I HAVE ALSO JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE AFTER SPEAKING TO SOMEONE CALLING HIMSELF MIKE WATSON WITH A STRONG INDIAN ACCENT I TO WENT AS FAR AS LETTING HIM TAKE CONTROL OF MY COMPUTOR AND AT THE END HE WAS WANTING ME TO PAY FOR A SERVICE I TOLD HIM THAT I WAS PAYING HIM NOTHING AND I DID NOT WANT HIS SEVICES BUT NOW I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE TO MY COMPUTOR ? AND HE ALSO SAID HE WILL CALL ME BACK IN 5 OR 10 DAYS I HOPE SO AS I WILL BE REDY FOR HIM. MY ONLY CONSERN IS IF THEY HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO MY COMPUTOR ANY INFO WOULD BE GREAT.

By: helbo

helbo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:48:55 +0000

Few months ago got this type of call – was instructed to type Prefetch and all that stuff – but in the end took processor to PC World to get checked out and all fine. Now have just had two calls a day apart and on each occasion have told them I don't have a computer and they hang up on me. But this is no fun so next time will give them the runaround.

By: Helbo

Helbo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:48:55 +0000

By: michelle

michelle — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:30:05 +0000

just got off the phone with the same people, as i do not know much about computers, i went as far as they took control of my computer. Then when they started asking for money i said no. Is there any why they could of got any info of my computer EG card details, as i do order stuff of line. if so can any 1 help

By: Joe King

Joe King — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:06:46 +0000

I had the same call from a lady with a very heavy Asian accent. As it happens, I've worked in IT support for many years and knew immediately it was a scam call, but obviously people do fall for it because they find it worth their while. I'm proud to say I spun the call out for over an hour (while I too made pots of tea, claiming there was someone knocking on my door etc). She asked me to enter “prefetch unwanted” in the Run window. I started asking questions and she advised me she was calling from Oxfordshire in England, and I could check her out by calling her supervisor on 02033180510. By searching on that number I found this site, thanks. When I have another hour to spare I'll call that number and ask the “supervisor” to call me back on my mobile.

By: Clare

Clare — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:30:40 +0000

Just got a call there now. Frightened the bejaysus out of me until I found this site. I hung up. The man was rude and impatient with me. He said he was phoning from Microsoft's Security Centre. I distrusted him thankfully and hung up. The phone kept ringing for 15 minutes after. I was sufficiently scared to do my own virus and spyware checks.

thanks for bringing this scam to attention

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:28:35 +0000

I had one of these last night, don't have teh exact details with me but it was very similar to the description. Tells me he's some vague IT support in his stilted accent, tells me that my coputer might be infected with spyware and malware etc. Tells me to press start button, choose control panel and open something there and I end up looking at the event viewer, he starts asking me to describe what I can see and spount nonsense that this stuff is to do with viruses and malware, and that it could cause my hard drive to crash or fail at any time. Anyway I strung this guy along for 20 minutes pretending to know nothing about computers and sounding very worried every time he mentioned crashing hard drives or viruses. He passed me on to his technical support who waffled for 5mins then told me to open some website like www.ost123.com or some other similar name. At this point I thought I'd give him a surprise and told him I actually worked in IT support (no I don't) and had just been bulls*tting them for the past 25 mins, however this din't seem to register with him his english being so good, I explained again but nope he still didn't get it and then we bizzarely went back to the task at hand he said I should see a box on this website (taht I hadn't opened) and that I would have to enter a 6 digit PIN code, and that after that they would take a one off payment from my card and after that I would pay no more and would get support and be protected 'for a good long time' hmmmm... yeah! he asked me to hold as he generated the pin code, then I hung up. a couple of minutes later the phone went, someone esle aswered it and it was my IT support guy, he was told about four times that he had the wrong number and hasn't called back since.

By: MarsKy

MarsKy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:59:00 +0000

And BT had an Indian call centre (might still do). Made any broadband enquiries with BT? This would identify you as a computer user, and give away your name and number.
(The bu**er just called me 5 minutes ago – but I kind of look forward to winding them up).

By: MarsKy

MarsKy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:47:12 +0000

You maybe right.
It's just that I've had my laptop repaired 7 months ago and recently, and I had to go through the Indian call centre. On both occasions, the calls from the scammers came the day after the on-site repair was made.
They could be cold calling - there's a pretty good chance they'll find someone with a Windows PC, and who hasn't experienced their PC seeming to slow down?
Anyway, if you get called, asked them:
1. If they are CoMantra
2. How did they link the error message with your UK phone number. I got some nonesense about their router being in my area!
3. Ask them to send a sample of the error message. If they can't...
4. Ask them what the IP address is on the error message.
5. Ask them what the name of your PC is, which should be on the error message.
6. THEN HANG UP.

By: julielb71

julielb71 — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:41:46 +0000

I started receiving persistent calls from them after speaking with the AOL Indian Call Centre.

By: Darren

Darren — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:44:36 +0000

I just had a call, he said he was from Bradford, but he hung up when I wanted to talk about the Media Musum, reported to consumer direct. Tried to record the call but dont think its any value to anyone.

By: woody

woody — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:10:22 +0000

I had a call yesterday and another in the last hour and have had one or two in the past months. Yesterday I put the phone down but today I decided to ask “what was the Windows license number of the machine that raised the error as I have more than one” – short pause and then the call was dropped. I then decided to google and found this site. Verrrry Interesting as some character used to say. Incidentally, re MarsKy's comment relating this to Dell call center. None of my machines are Dell and I don't ever recall having been in touch with Dell about anything, or any other software or hardware supplier as far as I can remember. This is the thing that puzzles me most, where have they got my number from…

By: MarsKy

MarsKy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:37:16 +0000

Oh – I'm 99% certain they are getting their info from Dell call centre in India, as I started getting calls soon after contacting Dell in India (how else can they relate a supposed “computer error report” with a UK phone number – they can't The error report is a scam, and the phone number comes from the call centre). One of the CoMantra lot also said they had worked for Dell.

By: MarsKy

MarsKy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:31:51 +0000

The “Windows Service Dept” just called me. They tried to scam me before but I found this website so knew what was happening. So decided to have some fun playing a thicko. Ended up being passed around 4 different people because I was so thick! Kept them going for 20 minutes. In the end I asked if the “Windows Service Dept” was part of CoMantra. They hung up straight away.
So either play about or ask if they are CoMantra.

By: alexisj7

alexisj7 — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:11:06 +0000

i have had a call today from these people, and Asian man saying his name is Alan Matthews, tel phone number 01865521065 techonsupport?

By: paulinesheakey

paulinesheakey — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:03:18 +0000

I've had two phone calls from this company 'supportonclick.com' and the second one I asked for a telephone number to check their credentials, they gave me 020 3318 5211 (UK) and they confirmed they were helping Windows customers who were experiencing problems with slow start up which they say was the reason why unauthorized downloading was occurring! I told them my computer was not slow and they asked me “how do you know you are not downloading stuff on start up?”

I'm going to contact the BBC and other media as this is quite frightening for a lot of older folks. Glad to have found this site which confirmed my suspicions….well done!!!

By: Roland Smith

Roland Smith — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:37:19 +0000

I had the very same experience last week (3rd March 2010). They said they were “Microsoft Windows support”, I asked where they got my information they said it was given by me when I certified the product. They then asked me to run “EVENTVWR” and after a number of minutes of me reading out and counting errors they said there was evidence of a problem and that a technician would connect to my PC. I said I didn't want them to and then they got a suppervisor who started getting shirty so I said goodbye and hung up. I glad I found your posting as I was beginning to wonder if I did have problems.

By: Danni

Danni — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:21:39 +0000

Thankyou for the information, my Nana got this call this morning (UK) and she was very distressed as they mde her think her computer was riddled with all sorts and asked for £50 to renew her warrantly to entitle her to tech support. Luckily she didn't give them any details. They have been calling her all day apparently, I hope they phone when I'm round, they'll get an earful.

By: Em

Em — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:39:19 +0000

I've just had a Fake Tech call- telling me to goto Start, then type prefetch into the RUN box. I didn't follow their instructions further I just wanted to see the direction in which they were going. I said no thanks and they called back at least 6 times. So I had some fun with them realising this scam. Once I told them I was a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer they panicked and hung up.

By: Piers Lawson

Piers Lawson — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:01:14 +0000

I had a call like this today 5 March. When I refused to believe bite, I recieved a second call from their supervisor!

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:45:38 +0000

I had a phone call yesterday and again today from Computer Maintenance Department, when I asked for what company they again said Computer Maintenance Department, I again asked for company name and was told Support on click. I told him we had no problem with the computer and that it was a scam, he was very insistant that it was not a scam and said he would get his supervisor, I did not wait. They telephoned again today and were very insistant that we had a problem on the computer I again told him that I did not believe anything he was telling me, eventually he put the telephone down as I would not agree to anything he asked.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 23:44:25 +0000

Jush had a third call from 'Techon Support' (thats wghat I thought he said) I just hung up after a a little while. Suggest you do the same if they call you. Sounded exactly like on the video at the top of the page.

By: Trish

Trish — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:29:35 +0000

I’ve had loads of these phone calls. I usually just tell them I think they are operating a scam and then hang up but today decided to make them waste their time and so began to quiz the guy about what made them think my computer was running slow etc. They could not answer this and proceeded to try the usual tricks – asking me to look at registries etc all of which I declined to do. They were very unwilling to end the call themselves and eventually I was transferred to a supervisor when the caller felt he was getting nowhere. The supervisor gave me the usual tale but eventually realised he was also getting nowhere. To his credit he did then drop the sales talk, said by this stage he would normally have been subject to abusive language, and, thankfully, said he would transfer my name to a ‘do not call’ list. Hopefully that will see an end to thier calls to me!

By: karen1610

karen1610 — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:02:44 +0000

i have had two of these calls the first i couldnt understand what the woman was saying couldn't get who she was or where she was calling from and i hung up checked for a number to google and the number was withheld. the second happened this morning again couldn't catch details of what she was saying all i caught was your computer is running slow and this is a service call i thought it sounded dodgy and as i was on the computer n knew it wasn't running slow i said my computers fine thankyou she then repeated that it was slow and that was why she called i told her theres nothing wrong with my computer and on trying to find exactly where she was calling from she hung up on me wish i would have seen this earlier and recorded it.