I received a Phone Call From Someone claiming I have a Virus

Hi, sounds like a version of "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?" or "This is the phone company and
we need you to help tighten the cables so pull real hard".

Here are some free on-line scanners :

http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/

New Vista and Windows 7 version
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/whatsnew.htm

Original version
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

Other Free online scans
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=antivirus+free+online+scan&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g1

Also download malwarebytes and scan with it
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

Add Prevx - Home - Free small, fast, compatible with most other security software, and offers
exceptional CLOUD protection. The free is a resident scanner only so if it does find something
come back here or google to find removal instructions.

Prevx - Home - Free
http://www.prevx.com/freescan.asp

PCmag - Editor's Choice
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346861,00.asp

Hope this helps.

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Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Hello, I'm trying to understand the scenario. 

When you received the phone call from someone claiming from Microsoft, what were they asking you to do?

Thanks

Microsoft will never cold call users asking for personal information or access to your PC. Whenever possible these calls should be reported to your local consumer protection agency.

In the United States you can visit the FTC website to report issues such as these:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel19.shtm

For more information and helpful tips on how you can protect yourself from fraud, please visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/default.mspx

Thanks!

Hi MrBoo

I regret to say that I was one of the stupid, nieve, egg-headed, no mind, fool who fell for that phone call. The man on the phone claimed to be a Microsoft technician and asked me if I was online and if so was my computer performing slowly. I wasn't online right at that moment but was noticing earlier that day that my computer was moving like a snail. He then told me to turn the computer back on and we will time how long it takes to startup. By now my stupid computer was, of course, starting up extremley slow. He indicated that my computer was infected. He then instructed me to go to the device manager to view the Event Viewer to verify that if there were more than 5 or 6 Errors in the log, it was a positive infection. Anyways, I'm trying to make a long story short, he had me go to a website and type in a work order code and advised me that a Microsoft tech was going to fix and rid of the virus by remote. Well, all of a sudden, the technician had total control of my computer, changing all my personal settings and disabling stuff. I was p***ed!!!!!!! (Sorry about the language) Immediately, I was trying to tell the guy that I didnt like what was going on and wanted more information. He was telling me not to be afraid and that everyone was downloading their 'MaleWare Bytes' software. My most dummest moment caused my computer to get a virus from them. Took about 4 days to restore my computer back to my settings and perform a systems restore to factory settings. I later learned that thousands of people who live here in Las Vegas had their computer infected and money taken from their bank accounts. Good thing that I don't have a whole lot of money.

telefather,

Read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_engineering_(security)

Contact Microsoft Product Support Services.

For support within the United States and Canada, call toll-free (866) PCSAFETY (727-2338).

For support outside the United States and Canada, visit the Product Support Services Web page.

To report Internet crime, contact IC3 or your local FBI field office (http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm).

Hope this helps,

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Vincenzo Di Russo - Microsoft MVP Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security - Since 2003. ~~~ My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo

Vincenzo,

Thanks for the good read. Very informative. I am just taking that experience as a rough lesson learned.

telefather,

You're welcome. Glad to help and thank you very much for your feedback.

Good luck,

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Vincenzo Di Russo - Microsoft MVP Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security - Since 2003. ~~~ My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo

Wow. I got one of these calls and simply didn't believe it was microsoft calling me.  I'm so glad that I hung up on them. I got another one of these calls today from some company claiming to be "global something or other" and they were babling about files down loaded from the net affecting my computer. I think it was a version of the same thing. Thankfully I told them I didn't know them from Adam and didn't trust them and hung up on them.  Both times these were from Indian call centers and unsolicited phone calls.  I'll bet a lot of people fall for this.  They've got a hide though doing it on our home phone numbers.

The man I was talking to was and East Indian and so was the Lead Technition. After the dust settled, I discovered that the name of the phone solister company was "On support Click". I'm just not sure if they were the ones that had taken money from people's accounts. I'm glad they didn't get access to my accounts.