logmein123 scam: received a call saying my antivirus was corrupted

Have just got a call firstly a woman and then a man, by the name Sam - both with thick Indian accent warning me strongly that my computer was under serious threats of being hacked-in.

Throughout the call, Sam's been trying to assert his authority by claiming that because I wasn't a computer Technician I didn't know and couldn't discern the warning signs on my computer.  That's why I was going along with his instructions on what commands to carry out on my computer.

I was asked to open up the Event Viewer and gone through the Application "Warnings" and Security "Audit Failures" and counting how many of these, and when did they occurred, and in between asked to tell what type of computer I got and when did I purchased, who used it, etc and whether it was used for online shopping/banking (and then Sam applied more dramatic effect "Oh, My God" when I responded yes to online shopping/banking).  Eventually, I was asked to log on www.support.me.

Once I was on that website which come up with this address: LogMeIn123.com, I refused to carry on by keying in a so-called Private code as I've been throughout the call demanding how they got my home tel. number and purpose of their call and who they were working for.

At that point, I was given a Liverpool phone number: 0151 8080313 which Sam said was the Technical Support of Windows and asked me to call up and he would help me resolve problems.

Once I got off the phone, I instantly search on Google with this address LogMeIn123.com and found your message.

Before I got started writing this message, Sam called me twice.  Once, he asked if I called the Liverpool phone number and I responded by rebuking him that I found out this was a Scam and asked him to stop calling me.  Almost immediately after I cut him off, he called straight up again and asked how I came up with the idea.  I said I found it on the Internet and asked him again to stop calling me or I'd call the police, which seems working as no third call in the last 5 mins.

Grateful that people put their experience on the Web so no more people being conned again.

GL

Good morning to all,

Seems to me that I made the right decision a few minutes ago when insisting to get a phone number from a potential computer problem "fixer".

It all started after I ran a scan with a free software called XoftSpySE. There was an add saying that they could fix any problem on a computer, guaranteed, after a diagnosis. To do this, they ask to install a remote access via www.logmeinrescue.com. The strongly indian accented fellow Siddharth alleguedly from ParetoLogic then took control of my computer. He asked me if I was a technician and went to "msconfig". He soon discovered a lot of error messages (that I was aware of) and asked me if I was using my PC for business. I replied yes and also, that I was doing banking and investment as well.

He was shocked to hear that and said that I needed immediate repair. He told me that it would cost me between $400 and $500CAD at Staples, Geek Squad, and at a few other places, for one-time only, on-line fixing.

They can sell me a two-year Microsoft full unlimited service for $377.95CAD. I replied that I wanted to hear more about it. I was then transfered to a supposedly Windows engineer who insisted to fix my PC on the spot, without asking what the problem was. I mentioned to him that it was a tough decision to let someone I do not know have full access to my PC, considering that all my personal banking and investment data were in there, besides paying almost $400 blindly.

I asked him to give me a few days to think about it but, more importantly, to make a back up of my data and remove them from my hard drive. He said that it was not necessary and I could trust them. I said that if he was in my place, he would have the same attitude and he could not but agree.

But, he insisted that any additional time without fixing was causing me potentially more harm because tha tvirus replicates itself. I mentioned to him that I was feeling pressure to make a decision on the spot and that I was not at ease with that. Also, I told him that I had no evidence that he was really from Microsoft and he replied that I only have to ask him questions to put him to test...

I said that I would not proceed under these circumstances and I wanted to call him ack at a more convenient time. He replied that I did not have to be next to my computer and that I could go and enjoy my long weekend while they would remotely fix my PS problems.

I insisted that I wanted to make a back-up and acleanup of my hard drive to remove sensitive data and asked him again for a number to call him back. He transferred me back to the first fellow Siddhart who finally agreed to give me this phone number: 1-866-898-7410.

Guess what, I will not call back :-)

Good luck guys if you ever deal with those indian fellows. I am not racist but it looks like a gimmick where they pretend being working with an endorsment from Windows which I doubt is real. Just be prudent.

cheers,

RGLA