Microsoft Tech Support calling you? Probably not... Beware of a scam where fraudsters reach out and claim to be from Microsoft Tech Support or a "Certified Windows Partner". They may leave an automated voice mail asking you to call back about an "expired license key" or "malware problem". They may call you and ask for you by name to talk about your license or system security issue. They may even have a legitimate looking caller ID that says "Microsoft" or "Comcast", but caller ID is often and easily faked and is not a guarantee of legitimacy.
Click on the speaker icon to listen to an actual scam.
(It will open in a separate browser window)
Once they have you on the phone, they will try to talk you into getting them access to your system so they can investigate and "fix" your issue. They will ask you to install software that will allow them to access your system remotely so they can inspect event logs, check your license status, run diagnostics or view system services.
Once they have found a "problem" on your system (which in reality has nothing wrong with it), they will apply some phony fix and show you some evidence that the issue is resolved. They will then charge you for their help and even try to sell you a monthly subscription to their phone technical support services. Often they leave malware behind on your system that they can use to access your system and files without your consent or knowledge at a later date.
If you get a phone call you think matches this profile, just say "no thanks" and hang up. If you are not sure, you can get a call back number from them and then reach out to the help desk and we can help find out if it is legitimate or not. Never give a caller your credit card number or allow them to install software on your PC (or let them have you do it for them).
These fraudsters are good at what they do; they have been trained in sales tactics and have a technical background and they have tricked a lot of people. If you think you may have been caught in a fraud like this, reach out to the Help Desk and we will help you get things set right.