Scam Warnings.
I have recently had a couple of phone calls enquiring as to whether I have noticed my computer running slowly (I answered "maybe") and was told that I had downloaded some malicious software, probably unknowingly, onto my PC!
In the latest call I enquired as to how they would know what had been downloaded and I was told that the error reporting from Windows had flagged up the problem. The alarm bells were clanging away here as error reporting is switched off on the PCs in this household and the family know to click the "don't report" if the box comes up but let me know that somthing is wrong, although I was first alerted to the possiblity of a scam because I was referred to by the surname of my partners' ex-husband, who has not lived here for nearly 6 years! (If the call was genuine they would have had my name from my registration details).
I asked a few searching questions about the call only to be given evasive answers as to what was wrong, being told to go through some key presses and to call up the Event Viewer for Windows. I let the "Service Centre" take me through a few steps (I disconnect the network cable first though as a security precaution) then I asked him what operating system I was using when the problem(s) orrured (there are 3 machines connected to the internet here, 1 each running XP, Vista and 7, so that would narrow it down to the problematical machine, I didn't tell the "Service Operative" this though!). The reply I received was "Windows Vista or Windows 7". I pressed as to which operating system as the error reporting sends that information with its' report to be informed that it was one of those operating systems (surely a GENUINE reply would have been either one or the other or both, not "either"?).
I allowed him to continue his spiel for a little while, informing me that hackers would be able to "break in" and get information from my machine (good luck to them, I'm running Norton Internet Security with a software Fire Wall and my router has its' hardware Fire Wall active too). He took me through some of the "problems" and got me to count how many "red circle error icons" I had (several were logged, but all issues have been resolved, again I didn't tell him that).
I then enquired as to where he got "my" name (I still hadn't corrected him on that!) and phone number from and he gave me my address and asked if I lived there. I again asked where he had got my telephone number from and he rang off. Genuine callers do not mind being questioned in this manner and should supply this information.
I did a quick search on the internet and found a news item from March this year about a woman in Sydney, Australia who had had a similar call.
I also phoned Microsoft UK about this and was told "... we do not cold call people about PC issues, neither do ANY of our certified partners. This is just some sort of scam...".
So there you have it. If someone calls you out of the blue about your computer running slowly just tell them you're not interested and put the phone down.
If you have raised a service ticket with Microsoft and opted to be contacted by phone then the ticket number will be quoted by the caller and they will be dealing with the issue you have raised with them and know the details that you reported when raising that ticket (and they will know what operating system you are using too!).