Lately, cybercriminal activities have reached a peak with more and more Windows users reporting being called by various Microsoft Support engineers offering to fix their computer. Strangely enough, sometimes these cybercriminals actually call users having genuine issues with their computers, which makes it easier for them to convince users to cooperate. Such phone calls are common practice among cybercriminals, but you should know that neither Microsoft nor its partners make unsolicited phone calls to offer troubleshooting services or charge for computer security or software fixes. In such cases, you should immediately hang up the phone. Do not trust unsolicited calls. Do not provide any personal information. Cybercriminals use publicly available phone directories, so they know your name and other personal information when they call you. Since Windows runs on 89.79% of the world’s computers, they can easily guess what operating system you’re using. After they’ve gained your trust, they will ask for your username and password or ask you to go to a legitimate website to install malware software. Once they gain access to your computer, your personal information — especially bank account information — is vulnerable. The cybercriminals who use phone call scams as their modus operandi often claim to be from the following departments:

Windows Helpdesk Windows Service Center Microsoft Tech Support Microsoft Support Windows Technical Department Support Group Microsoft Research and Development Team (Microsoft R & D Team)

If you receive a suspicious phone call “from Microsoft”, immediately report the phone scam. For more information about the strategies used by cybercriminals and what to do in such cases, go to Microsoft’s page. RELATED STORIES YOU NEED TO CHECK OUT:

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