02-8014-7459

I suspect it to be a scam, "tech from Windows~ offering technical support"

HEY... yes it is a scam... i was called by someone exactly the same way about 30 minutes ago. He demanded that i open up my computer because i have MAL files on it, but my computer is completey protected. I didnt trust him from the word go. I started hammering him with questions about everything he was saying... and like yeah Im no idiot. So i thought id google his website and write scam after it and i seen your msn on here with the phone number you have posted, i called it and the same guys answered when i rang.

Definitely  a scam, do not trust these phone calls!

I got a call from this number and I thought they were from my internet provider.  The guy was Indian so I couldn't really understand what he was saying, anyway, I let him into my computer remotely thinking I was doing the right thing but had a sick feeling in my stomach.  I should learn to trust my gut.  He wanted me to take up a warranty with them for a year and said they would fix any problems for me and I wouldn't have to buy any anti virus software, it would all be done through them.  That's when I said no I wasn't interested and that I was thinking of getting a new computer anyway.  He gave me his number 0280147459 and said if I changed my mind to call him (Dexter).  The only trouble is now that they have been in my computer I'm afraid they might be able to hack into my bank account & email.  What should I do?

got a call from "dexter half an hr or so ago, seemed very helpful, told me of viruses on my computer wanted access to fix them, showed me what they are then tried to sell me software warranty for 299 for one yr and also a payment plan over 4 years of 99 dollars every 6 months!

I also received a similar call from www.Techforhelp.com and tried that and registered for 199.99AUD, but I found that the support that they are providing is really awesome. Though they are taking the control of my computer through logmein123 but the way they are resolving the SPYWARE issue is really fantastic. I think they have a good panal of expert technicians who are doing the job. I really appretiate this things of resolving issues. we all should change our mind by this time.

Regards
Andrew

I got my first call from this type of scammer just now. Their company is 'Tech For Help'; their web site is www.techforhelp.com. It looks quite professional.

First there was a female Indian on the line who asked for me by name – which always gives me a bit of a shiver. Okay, they can read the phone book, but still it lends some initial credence to the call. After asking me to turn on my computer, what sort of Windows does it run, etc, she had me click on START / run and run the 'eventvwr'. Lo and behold, I was told that the various 'Warning' and RED(!) 'Error' listings in the event log were signs that I had been infected by web and virus files.

Several times, microseconds after painfully instructing me on each step of running the command, she would tell me NOT to actually click on any of the warning/error events, because "that would activate the very dangerous virus" (words to that effect). I guess the point of that was to ensure that I didn't do so, read the details and get an idea that the 'warning/error' wasn't that big a deal after all. And has a hyperlink to Microsoft support. No, keep the customer in the dark.

Then she passed me on to her technical supervisor, a male Indian, who continued proceeding along that path, ultimately getting me to run up Internet Explorer, connect to their web site and then click on the 'support technical' link, which brings up the 'LogMeIn support connection' that has been mentioned here.

It was at the point where XP was asking me if I wanted to relax firewall rules and give full permission to 'Bryan Wayne', one of their 30 'system engineers', that I got nervous.

Not very nice people, praying on fear, uncertainty and doubt. Making very sure I don't actually *read* those error/warning messages. Every third or fourth sentence telling me that they were caused by my machine being infected by viruses. Finally, before I hung up, I was asking about charges; no sir, this was all free, although you said your computer was 5 years old so it would be out of warranty and you might have to renew your warranty ...  I see from the posts here that they would have, indeed, tried to have me do that.

Ugh. The Internet would be so much more fun if it wasn't for the scum inhabiting it.

Hi Brad I am afraid that I am one of the people who did get scamed. I read your message and it happened to me in the exact same way as you discribe although I did let them remotly take over my computer. They sen me a form to fill out asking me to pay $299 Au $. I told them that I would not pay because I wanted to speak to someone who knew about computers. When I told him this he got angry but I insisted that I was not going to pay. Finaly he said OK and he would ring back tomorrow.
My question is do you think that they have put some type of Spy Ware on my computer or something else?
I have stoped using my desktop computer and am using me laptop at the moment.
Can eney one help?
Thanks

I received a call from Tamara advising that my computer was infected from all the down loading I had been doing. I never mentioned this to her. I had just finished reading about similar scams in our local paper about an hour earlier so I was not tricked. for a minute ..although I led her on for about 15 minutes to see what the scam was all about. I asked where she was ringing from and she said India.
In the end I asked for a phone number and web site address which brought me here.
Run a decent anti spyware program to check for infiltration if you gave permission to remotely control your computer.
Professional looking web sites are no guarantee of authenticity ..it is easy to do web sites with a bit of knowledge.
In future use a sandbox if you want solid on line

I got a call last night from the same scammer telling me that they were from TechForHelp.

First there was a female Indian on the line who asked me to turn on my computer, what sort of Windows does it run, how old my computer was, and then told me to click on START / run and run the 'eventvwr'.

I was told to count all the 'Warning' and RED(!) 'Error' listings in the event log, and to definitely NOT click on them, as that would seriously harm my computer.  She said that these listings were signs that I had been infected by viruses, and that I could lose my hard drive.  She kept saying that the software warranty was no longer on my computer????  As I was counting all these errors and warnings (as there were quite a few of them) the lady kept saying "oh my god... oh my god..., ...don't worry we will help you... ...oh my god..."

She passed me on to her technical supervisor, a female, by the name of Sammyra, who wanted me to continue with her, and give her access to my computer, by following a series of "simple" steps, however at this point I told her that I had to leave as I was already running late, and that she should call me back today (Friday 8/4/11) when I would have more time. I made this up, as I had not felt comfortable with this call right from the word go.  She questioned my awareness of how serious this problem was and that I should make some time, to fix this problem.  I then asked her for her phone number to call her back, of which she did not know of by heart, and had to put me on hold (without music) to check what the number was.  She gave me the phone number of (02) 80147459, she said that she was a Microsoft expert and that she would take care of all my windows issues that my spyware has effected.

I typed the phone number in google to see if any information was posted about this scam, and lo and behold there was stacks of information.  They try to fix the problem and then try and charge you for it.  I then rang Telstra  - Nuisance and Unwanted calls department, and they confirmed that there was no listing for this phone number and therefore that it was a fake number.  

I tried to get more information from her, but she replied by saying "the time it's taking for her to give me this information, she could have already fixed the problem" (or words to that effect).  How rude!

I have just been on their website and it looks quite professional!  I just wanted to post this, so that people are aware, and not let it happen to you!

When she rings me back today at 12:30pm, she will be hearing from me exactly what she deserves!
How dare she do this to people, especially those who will believe what they are saying from fear and
uncertainty of what might happen to their computer if they don't do exactly what they say.

Was taken in by this number 0280147459....shame! shame! shame!s

I received a call last night(March 16, 2011,) they had east indian accents and attempted to tell me my computers was experiencing problems,they wanted me to go to a website called 123logmein they also claim their company name was Maakaboor. I didn't believe it right from the start and when I told him I believed he was trying to scam me he became rude with me saying he wanted to [***] my daughter and to take my computer and stick it in my moms [***],I then hand up. - Everyone beware of this scam!

I just had this happen to me 20 minutes ago. It is exactly as Licinia and Brad have described as above.
I didnt trust these guys either and asked a lot of questions about where they were calling from. This guy told me his name was Sean (the technical supervisor). As soon as he told me to visit this site I didnt trust him at all and I was even more sure it was a scam. I didnt listen to him after the told me to go to the techforhelp site.I told him I will fix these problems myself and if I have any problems I will call hm as I had his number which he told me to be 02 8014 7459.

Also I asked him how he got my number and address details. He told me that when I bought the computer I would have entered in those details at the computer shop. I dont ever remember giving out my phone number and if i did would only give my mobile as I rarely use the landline.

I received a call from 0280147459 last week informing me that I had been sent many updates that had not been actioned on my computer, and as my computer had been in storage for 12 months due to shifting house I thought the call was legitimate. The person I first spoke to said his name was" Andrew Wayne" the technical supervisor, he had an Indian accent, I questioned him on how he got my details, especially my phone number as it had only been connected to my new address the week before this call, I even said to him that how do I know this isn't a scam to which he replied, oh no madame we are from "Techforhelp" which is connected to all computer users and that all I needed to do was turn on my computer and I could watch everything they would be doing, they were able to answer every question I asked, so thinking that they were correct about all the updates being not actioned I turned on my computer. After 91 minutes of watching things on my screen being done and clicking on ok every now and then he told me that I would have to pay $389 to which I told them I could not afford as I am a senior citizen, he then said in that case it would be just $199 and then said he would speak to his supervisor who came to the phone he was also Indian and gave the name "Ron Williams" he told me that everyone with these computer problems needed to pay. He said that I could pay it in instalments, 1st payment $39.99 2nd payment $69.99 and finaI payment $99.99. I did pay the $39.99 and even received a call the next day, fortunately I was not home but he left a message asking how my computer was running and if I needed any further information to call him on the above number, I still have that message on my answering machine.
I'm now worried that I may have compromised my bank details and emails, What should I do?

but i dont think so...    because i got lot of help from this compny...........

02-8014-7459 Call
Same thing happened to me - they know your name, I don't know how.
Isn't this something that should be reported to police

Caller just called me, his name was Austin, he said he was calling from Microsoft Windows tech support!!! So they are trying different names, He said that people in my area have reported an update problem which is affecting how the computer runs, I got a phone no. to call them back as I was busy at the time, first I wanted to find out why Microsoft was calling me because it seemed suspicious, so I got the no. and ended the call. The company answers as Tech For Help, the no. is: (02) 80147459

I just recieved a call form tech 4 help from an indian female named 'Sam'. I new these scams were prevalent however they are quite persuasive so I demanded a number and got (02)80147459. I googled it and got this blog. This confirmed my initial thoughts. I told them not to call back but Im sure they will. So thanks to all of you who posted their experiences.

My parents just had a call from this number today, similar call, late at night claiming to be from a company but his english so bad it was unclear which and wanted access to the computer to "fix" things.

I Have received a same phone call but I was very patient and tried to follow the steps that he was telling me though I know the stuffs fully well but at the end he transferred the call to the supervisor and he did something which through logmein is something which is very interesting and the person who was doing the things on remote console has a very good technical knowledge and they never intervained into my personal details. A through professional.