345-623-4567

Some guy with a Southern Asian accent claiming that my computer is infected. And, he can fix it if I let him connect to it. (Yeah, right!)

I've been receiving these calls for several days and there is only the number showing up on caller id. Tried to add it to my blocked number list but it said it wasn't a valid number. I finally answered it and they hung up on me. I tried to call them back but all I got was a busy signal. I'm on the do not call list but it doesn't work for these scammers. I've heard that if you pick up your phone and just lay it down until disconnected, you are tying up their lines and keeping them from calling as many people as they can. Don't know if it is true or not but I think I will try that next time. Or press one of the keys and it might sound like a fax line to them?

Summary:
The caller ultimately claimed to be from 24hrssupport.com . That is an Indian company.

He tries to get you to download legitimate software from www.ammyy.com so he can take over your computer, convince you he is resolving problems, and get you to pay. What else he might do on that or another occasion would be up to him if you run that software.

Don't do it.

ammyy.com is a legitimate company whose software is being abused for bad purposes. Read the warnings, explanations, and instructions about what to do if you let someone you don't know access your computer through their software by reading http://www.ammyy.com/en/admin_mu.html 

Details:

The caller repeatedly said that he was from Windows Technical Support and that he was calling about problems reported from my Windows computer to theirs.  Considering that there were no computers running Windows in my house, that was another good tip off. I wanted to see where this would lead, so I restarted my computer with Windows and played along.

When I demanded to know which of my computers, by IP address, the errors were coming from, he told me 192.168.1.2.  Another tip off, since there are no computers with that address in my home, but it is the address of the first computer in most people's homes.

He walked me through the process of bringing up logs of errors captured directly by Windows or from applications. He explained that these result from accessing unsecured web sites on the Internet. (False). He explained he could remotely fix my problems by going to www.ammyy.com and clicking the buttons to run the software on that site. I didn't. He tried to convince me of his bona fides by telling me to go to www.24hrssupport.com  He told me I could verify my computer's connection with them by running the windows assoc command. He told me my Local Computer Security ID as output by that command, CLSID\{ 888DCA60-FC0A-11CF-8F0F-00C04FD7D062}.  Tip off: that string is exactly the same for all Windows 7 computers, as reported in http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fo ... 24-eebf251c4c4f .

The contact page at http://www.24hrssupport.com/Contactus.aspx gives a company name, Opus e-solution.LLc , and an Albany NY area address 24 Cheshire Way, Loudonville, New York 12211, and phone number (518)605-7730.  That company was registered in Arizona, not New York. The NY address is the home of a Mr. and Mrs. William Reynolds. That phone number isn't theirs. The 24hrsupport.com domain is registered to Swadesh Softwares Pvt Ltd, Prakash Singh (prakash.chauhan86@gmail.com), 37, Bagha Jatin Park, City Centre, Durgapur, West Bengal,712316 IN, Tel. +91.9903169252

I was concerned that maybe the scammers were falsely claiming to be 24hrssupport.com, so I called the 24hrssupport.com US support line at 213-455-3317 . The people at that number pretty much continued where the initial caller left off.

Here is a list of information I compiled based on searchable information on the Internet. I will probably update it in the future. This information better be correct (according to Google).

Who?
- Prakash Singh
- Head of Swadesh Softwares Pvt Ltd

What?
- Scams people by making unsolicited phone calls repeatedly
- Uses scare tactics to access computers remotely
- Will install software to steal information
- Will refuse to answer basic questions regarding his identity
- Will force people to send electronic payments instead of checks
- Note: May be concealing felonious activity with an alternate job

Where?
- Swadesh Softwares Pvt Ltd
 - http://www.swadeshsoftwares.com/
 - 37, Baghajatin Path, City Center,Durgapur Dist : Burdwan Zip : 713216
 - +91.9903169252
 - (0343) 6451125
Please be advised that fake whereabouts are also used:
- SysCare247
 - http://www.syscare247.com/
 - One Commerce Center,1201 Orange St.#600, Wilmington,Delaware 19899
 - 213-260-2279
 - 888-446-4123
- SaveMyPC
 - http://savemypc.co/
 - Street nr 100, Chicago, lllinois, US 60601
 - 888-882-7930
- 24HrsSupport (no longer used)
 - http://www.24hrssupport.com/ (no longer used)
 - 24 Cheshire Way, Loudonville NY 12211 (no longer used)
 - 213-455-3317 (no longer used)
 - 345-623-4567 (no longer used)
 - 0203 051 5753 (not sure if still used)
 - 61-291-912-769 (not sure if still used)
 - 64-99-749-595 (not sure if still used)
 - 289-275-0314 (not sure if still used)

Other Websites He May be Involved In:
- e-blocker.net
- leadz4u.com
- pcconcern.com
- supportmypc.us
- w-locker.com
- feelfilmy.com
- drugsandpills.us
- fun2masti.in

When?
- Continues to be active

Interesting Websites:
- This is a link to a blog where he sells a fake app called the Duplicate File Finder that happens to be free elsewhere. Note that if you click "buy", his MyCommerce Page will show up.
 - http://istiff.com/duplicate-file-finder-v-3-2/#more-63203
- Here are a couple links to hiring ads where he intends to hire more potential cold callers:
 - http://www.jobsinbengal.com/2014/01/10/swades ... ve-in-durgapur/
 - http://jobs.freshersworld.com/jobs/Swadesh-So ... pport-Job-79872

There is more information, but this is as much as I will disclose.