tyketto

Thanks ;-)

I did the usually checks and tried them on other computers, plus the new 3 monitors work fine on my main computer am using now ;-)

Mind you two are coming up to their 1 1/2 half year useage the other is only 2 days old

fingers x'd

Update, Re the Spybot problem.

Uninstalled, then downloaded Spybot again, found same problem, so sent Spybot an e-mail.
They suggested I right click on their program under starter menu which bought up
Run as administrator. I clicked it and it worked, (a bit like Harrycat suggested, but had trouble finding it without directions from Spybot).

So once again thanks to all.

Some advice please. Just had a guy (Indian/International Call) saying he was a computer technician with Windows and that my computer had problems and would crash but he would help me to fix it! He wants me to go to run, etc. and type stuff in. I told him I was sceptical who he was and wasn't going to do anything! He knows my name and obviously has my telephone no. and ironically my computer on Google chrome did crash and tell me it had. I use Windows Vista, AVG and Windows Defender with Windows Firewall switched on. Normally use Mozilla. Am clueless on computers but haven't had any virus problems on any of my machines for years. Is he genuine and does Windows technical team do this!!! Thanks.

Have you registered somewhere online with your name and telephone recently. Looks pretty odd to me. What did he want you to type in at the 'Run' dialogue?

@jj50 dont give him any information or download anything from him or alter anything on your computer i feel this is something dodgy.

Thanks Haystack and Mega. No I haven't registered anything I can think of that he could pick up on. I don't even register my computers when I purchase them. He started to spell out something for me to type in the Run box but I stopped and said I had no proof of who he was and although he may be genuine, I wasn't going to take instructions from someone I didn't know! It was quite strange and he was most insistent. If they had my phone no., he would have my e mail address too so I shall see if anything comes via mail. It did feel dodgy but he was quite convincing.

PS I have remembered ..I didn't finish typing it but the instruction was "prefetch junk files"

I try to remember to delete my prefetch files once a month as part of my routine XP housekeeping. That in itself is harmless and shouldn't be a problem as it keeps Windows optimised, but why would you get an unsolicited call from somebody you don't know telling you to do that????

Found these on a forum:

"contacted by a site www techon support.com, said that my pc would crash in 5 days and they were working in conjunction with microsoft, told me to to type in, temp computer crashing files, and run said they were infected files did same with prefetch junk files. is what was said true as when on the techon site i relised that there was a charge for the services of the site, and are the files in the folders asked to open infected"

This is the answer

"This is a scam. I hope you did not give them your credit card number, nor did you permit them to have access to your machine. If you let them remotely access your machine, then it's quite possible they may have installed a keylogger or other malicious programs. If you gave them your credit card number, then you should immediately call your credit card company and have them issue you a new card."
.....................

Here is another one:

"I received a telephone call stating that, from the error messages sent to microsoft from my computer, it had been determined that my computer was infested with malware / trojans. The caller talked me through various 'checks' on my pc and announced that I had to connect to his technician who would help me clean up my PC.
At this point I questioned him on which company he represented. He stated his company was TechonSupport.com and that they worked with Microsoft. At this point he was asking me to connect to his technician through the "RUN" access.
I invited him to e-mail me with confirmation of his affiliation to Microsoft and hung up.
Was this a scam to get me to purchase their anti-virus programms? They were very convincing repeatedly mentioning their affiliation with Microsoft / Windows and how badly infected my PC was.
.....................
I've just found your query.
I received a very similar call last week and challenged the caller who immediately hung up. I dialled 1471 (Some UK phones will sometimes store the number of the caller) but the number was not stored.
I got a second call today and played along with the caller for a while to see what I could discover. After a while the caller hung up again. 1471 revealed that the call came from 001274790083 which seems to be a Bradford, England number, which corresponded pretty well with the caller's accent. Checking on the web showed this to be a "suspicious number". I contacted my ISP. The young lady seemed to be interested in the information and said that steps would be taken to circulate the information "appropriately".
I believe your actions were wise. I fancy that it was more than an attempt to sell you some worthless product. I seem to recall a report that Bradford has a reputation for this sort of thing.
This wasn't what I had in mind, but it may prove informative and amusing:
http://www.digitaltoast.co.uk/supportonclick-systemrecure-scam
..............................
Hi I had techonsupport ring me up the week before christmas 2009 to tell me that my PC is running slow he told me to go to prefetch and showed me all of these malicious software, I got taken in by all of this and he got control of my PC and cleaned it, then he asks me to go ahead and purchase 2 years service with them and get 24 hours support, I being a fool paid them 110 for 2 years service. 1 week later I get a message from my PC telling me that I have 8 outdated drivers, so I rang techonsupport on the number they gave me 01865521065 with the password and username provided and the technician took control of my computer, they rang me back when they had finished telling me that everything is fine now. I replied to him that my screen is blank he told me "not to worry" turn your machine off and back on again and it will be fine (RUBBISH) then he hung up. My computer never worked again which cost me over 200 to get another operating system and to clean the machine and re-install the OS. I have been on the phone to them for the last 4 months telling them that I do not want compensation but I do want my 110 back I paid them to avoid the damage they caused to my PC. I went from a guy called Alex Carter to mark hughes and finally to the top boss so called a Mr Addi Murse and they told me they are in the process of paying me back via paypal in which I used. I formed a complaint with paypal and paypal notifies me that they will only cover you for things that have not arrived in the post and they do not cover you for services and ebay are the same. They came up with numerous excuses of how I have,nt received my refund one of which is that my paypal is not working which is pretty laughable, as I had purchased numerous items on ebay that week using paypal. I was told to ring monday just gone and the phone number has been given to another company I have phoned B.T about this matter and they say that the only thing I can do is ring 118500 to get their number which will not exist now but if you have a call out of the blue telling you things I am going to be a lot more dilligent than I was that day, not only that but I am recovering from being a total racist, these people are doing no favours for their own kind of people which we see trying to get every penny out of us as they are starving and I am going to stick to my number 1 rule if there is a charity that needs my help it will go to either Animals or homelessness or some british charity as charity begins at home hope I have been of help do yourselves a favour and keep away from techonsupport.com all the best from a ripped off customer by techonsupport
........................
Thanks gents who contributed so far.

I received an unsolicited phone call from Mark at "techonsupport" who suggested he was connected to Windows/Microsoft who had received error messages originating in my PC. Mark, with Asian accent, talked me through directories on my PC which showed it was seriously infected. What I apparently needed was to give remote access to their technician so that I could get 1yr/2yr free support and a clean up of my PC. After pressing it transpired that there would be an up front payment. He arranged for me to have a six digit number to use to permit remote access.

I told him I would have to make independant enquiries about his company before I would give remote access and would get in touch next week.

He seemed a little upset that I did not immediately go ahead because the access code was costing him.

This correspondance has persuaded me that it is a scam.

Maybe Mark at techon will reply and put us right.

I am using Windows Security Essentials. I hope that this will lead to a warning or block when the techonsupport site is called up.

........................
I just had 2 calls from TechOnSupport. I was originally sucked in a bit when they said they were working on behalf of Microsoft but stopped when they asked me to go online so they could access my Vaio. I questioned where they were based and they said Oxford, they sounded like an India call centre. The guy I spoke to first was JACK DAWSON, from Thailand apparently(!). Today, a JOHN SMITH from TOS called and gave the same speil about error messages and potential threats sent to them from Microsoft. After checking out their website and this forum, I asked to speak with JD again. I said that I was liasing with Microsoft (complete bs!) about them sharing my information with TOS and he changed his story to "We have nothing to do with Microsoft!" and said he'd speak with JS about saying this to potential customers. I told him that he'd said the exact same thing to me originally where he went on to say that there were two JACK DAWSONS working for TOS.... he then hung up on me when I asked for his managers name to raise this issue. After a few more attempts of contact, he gave me the name of BERNARD MANUEL as manager. Cowboys (or Indians?!) if you ask me! I logged it with Trading Standards as I feel mentioning MS in the sales opening pitch is completely misleading and a 100%BS, given the way JD resonded to my call. I'm not sure if MS have anything to say about them?
..........................
I'm ashamed to admit I've just fallen for a similar scam but my caller was from iglobalsonline.com. I didn't go as far as paying them any money but they took control of my pc. They told me my Norton security wasn't working so I said I would consult Norton about it and I didn't need their help - he got very shirty and told me my hard drive was likely to crash then cut the phone call. I have run a full norton scan plus windows malicious software removal tool but each time I have tried to install the live onecare safety scanner the window froze. The Norton scan didn't pick anything up so I'm hoping they were just attempting to get me to sign up as a customer and did nothing else whilst in control of my pc, but I'm still too nervous to log into my bank etc. Beware iglobalsonline.com!!
................................

Thank you gentleman and hilary. Lucky escape by the sound of it.

The worrying thing is you don't know how your details were obtained. That may well be woth some thought.

One way is finding out in the future is to make a subtle change in your details when you register on sites each time and record them. I used to have a company htat sent ount millions direct mail letters. we would always add some 'sleepers' to the file. A few were staff members with altered details. That way we could tell if our customer's lists had been stolen in the mailing process.

jj50

read this! It is on the BBC technology page today!It used Firefox location feature!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10850875

This is not likely to be related to jj50's telephone call. That was probably just a name and telephone number bought or stolen from a customer database, or even someone ringing from the telephone directory if you're in there.

The PC support scam has been doing the rounds for a while now - http://www.computeractive.co.uk/computeractive/news/2267232/police-act-shut-cold-call-scam?page=1

Not really sure where they get contact details from. Some reports I've seen were from people who had recently bought a computer from a large retailer.

Some interesting links - thank you all. I am in the telephone book; do use Mozilla and have recently purchased a netbook from John Lewis so guilty on all counts! Google Streetview can't get near my house but that is the only match I don't have! I like the idea of finding a method to identify who is sharing my info online- I have done that for post and it is surprising how much direct mail you get with the adjusted name. All very useful comments. I currently use Rapport (free from RBS) for financial websites but perhaps I should change the password on my wireless router just in case.

Very helpful.

Jennifer

Personally I've always blamed Haystack for all my junk mail :-)

This is PC related can anyone suggest some easy to use basic accounts package please,it would need to run on win2k and vista,i do tend to have alot of scottish blood in my veins hence it needs to be be low in the wonga department :o) Thanks



In other words i am a a tight git.

MB, depends what you want it for in my opinon they are a ll a bit of a scam as they all basically force you into regular expensive upgrades.

For my company I have used several versions on Inuit Quickbooks but I have now abandoned them in favour of the online service from Kashflow (www.kashflow.co.uk) which for my type of business is perfect.

For personal use quicken used to be ok but i have not used it for a while, MS money was the other big competitor in those days.

Tim,thanks for your input mate that is interesting about quicken as i have just found a brand new sealed box of that sortware the only trouble is its dated 1996 and is on floppy disks :o)

You can get a floppy drive from Maplin for 9.99 & upwards