SirGreenThumb
Well-Known Member
Today I received a phone call that had shown up as an unknown number. I usually don't answer calls like this, but I said what the hell. Come to find out, it was some guy with a very thick accent claiming to be from Microsoft. I have read some information about these people calling trying to gain access to your computer system, or even get your CC info. I am a Network/Systems administrator and ethical hacker, so I know my way around a computer system.
I decided that I am going to mess with this guy a little bit and try and see where he will try to go with this little call. I acted completely clueless about my computer, so he directed me to the windows key on the keyboard, and told me to hold down that key while pressing r. Doing this will bring up the run dialog box. After that he wanted me to type in "MSINFO32" and this will bring up all the information to your operating system. He is doing this to try and figure out which system you are running and version of windows. By doing this he can figure out where to continue and which "program" you will need.
During the process of him asking me to type in msinfo32, I say, but I have a 64. He laughs and says it's ok, just type in 32 not 64.
Around this time, I ask, what is going on? What is wrong with my system? He proceeds to tell me that there is a chance that someone has gained access to my computer from a file that I could have downloaded, and he is wanting to make sure that my system hasn't been compromised. Keep in mind, this guy has a very thick accent, and by this point I can't even deal with it any longer.
So I ask him, hey, do you know what kind of computer I have? He says no, that's what I'm trying to figure out.
I then ask; do you know what operating system I'm running? He still says that is what he is trying to figure out. 
I then say ok then, and proceed to ask him if he knows if I'm running a MAC or PC? Once again he says he doesn't know. I cannot control my laughter at this point, because he just asked me to press the windows key + r. So I ask, what is your name and number, just in case we get disconnected I can call you back. He begins to tell me to go to the Microsoft website to get this info. I tell him that I don't want to contact Microsoft directly and I need his number. We go back and fourth like this for a few minutes and he still wont give me his info, and assures me that he is with Microsoft and I can get his info from the website.
By this point, I have had enough of this and begin to explain to him what I do for a living and it would be best if he takes this nonsense elsewhere. Obviously he cant understand what I am saying to him and keeps trying to assure me that he is with Microsoft, so I go a step further and tell him, if I give you any info to my computer, I bet I can gain access to your system before you gain access to mine, do you really want to go this route? After much stuttering and rambling, he gets frustrated and hangs up on me.
Moral to this story; Do not believe that Microsoft will just call you out of the blue for no reason unless you placed a ticket with them to do so. If you do get a call from someone claiming to be with Microsoft, take them for a ride and aggravate the shit out of them, and maybe they will stop trying to con people. I'm sure non of you intelligent pot heads would fall for this anyway, but just putting it out there.
I decided that I am going to mess with this guy a little bit and try and see where he will try to go with this little call. I acted completely clueless about my computer, so he directed me to the windows key on the keyboard, and told me to hold down that key while pressing r. Doing this will bring up the run dialog box. After that he wanted me to type in "MSINFO32" and this will bring up all the information to your operating system. He is doing this to try and figure out which system you are running and version of windows. By doing this he can figure out where to continue and which "program" you will need.
During the process of him asking me to type in msinfo32, I say, but I have a 64. He laughs and says it's ok, just type in 32 not 64.
Around this time, I ask, what is going on? What is wrong with my system? He proceeds to tell me that there is a chance that someone has gained access to my computer from a file that I could have downloaded, and he is wanting to make sure that my system hasn't been compromised. Keep in mind, this guy has a very thick accent, and by this point I can't even deal with it any longer. So I ask him, hey, do you know what kind of computer I have? He says no, that's what I'm trying to figure out.
I then ask; do you know what operating system I'm running? He still says that is what he is trying to figure out. I then say ok then, and proceed to ask him if he knows if I'm running a MAC or PC? Once again he says he doesn't know. I cannot control my laughter at this point, because he just asked me to press the windows key + r. So I ask, what is your name and number, just in case we get disconnected I can call you back. He begins to tell me to go to the Microsoft website to get this info. I tell him that I don't want to contact Microsoft directly and I need his number. We go back and fourth like this for a few minutes and he still wont give me his info, and assures me that he is with Microsoft and I can get his info from the website.By this point, I have had enough of this and begin to explain to him what I do for a living and it would be best if he takes this nonsense elsewhere. Obviously he cant understand what I am saying to him and keeps trying to assure me that he is with Microsoft, so I go a step further and tell him, if I give you any info to my computer, I bet I can gain access to your system before you gain access to mine, do you really want to go this route? After much stuttering and rambling, he gets frustrated and hangs up on me.
Moral to this story; Do not believe that Microsoft will just call you out of the blue for no reason unless you placed a ticket with them to do so. If you do get a call from someone claiming to be with Microsoft, take them for a ride and aggravate the shit out of them, and maybe they will stop trying to con people. I'm sure non of you intelligent pot heads would fall for this anyway, but just putting it out there.
:kiss-ass: