Have I been Scammed

The name and address of the company is Web Utility Pro LLC, 4587 Blaine Ave SE, Kentwood Michigan, 49508

The representatives name is Brian Tyler.

I first came in contact with Brian when my computer froze and a pop up to call Microsoft appeared.  this was about 2 and a half years ago.  For $194.00 Brian unlocked my computer and installed a one year firewall.  When the year was up I did get notice that my service had expired but I did not renew it.   Some time passed and I got a call from Brian telling me that a different IP then mine out of Jamaica was trying to get into my e-mail.  He then charged me a $1200 hundred dollar fee that was supposed to cover me for a lifetime of protection even if a got other computers.  Yesterday I received a call from him (apox. 6 months later) saying the same Jamaica IP was again trying to get into my e-mail.  And that for $850.00 he could give me lifetime protection for off-line security explaining  that what I previously purchased was on-line protection and that this was different.  I'm confused and am wondering if this is a scam.

Please help me!

Kim  

It is NOT Microsoft.

It is a Scam.

Microsoft will never contact you with cold-calls, popups, etc.

This is the advice given to anyone who has any phone calls, etc. like this about Malware, License Expiry, Refunds, etc..

And your machine does not send out messages to anyone saying that it has problems or is infected with Malware, etc.

We all have errors and warnings in our event viewer, which is another ploy they use to scare you

These so-called "Microsoft" Tech Companies either want to sell you worthless software, or gain Remote Access to your Computer to try and steal your Banking and Credit Card details and to also carry out an Identity Theft on you.

You are the only one who knows if you have given them Remote Access.

If you have given them Remote Access and if you do Internet Banking, contact your Bank, explain it to them and change Passwords.

If you use your Credit Card online, cancel it and get a new one issued to you.

And the only way that you willl know that you are free of them is to save your Data and do a clean install of your Operating System.

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And Microsoft does not contact you, unless YOU have made prior arrangements with them to do so.

There is a section in the link I am supplying you about this at the end of it

Read this Microsoft Information:

"Avoid tech support phone scams"

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx

Do not trust unsolicited calls. Do not provide any personal information.

Here are some of the organizations that cybercriminals claim to be from:

• Windows Helpdesk

• Windows Service Center

• Microsoft Tech Support

• Microsoft Support

• Windows Technical Department Support Group

• Microsoft Research and Development Team (Microsoft R & D Team)

Report phone scams

• Help Microsoft stop cybercriminals by reportinginformation about your phone scam.

• In the United States, use the FTC Complaint Assistant form.

• In Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) can provide support.

• In the United Kingdom, you can report fraud as well as unsolicited calls.

Cheers.

The name and address of the company is Web Utility Pro LLC, 4587 Blaine Ave SE, Kentwood Michigan, 49508

The representatives name is Brian Tyler.

I first came in contact with Brian when my computer froze and a pop up to call Microsoft appeared.  this was about 2 and a half years ago.  For $194.00 Brian unlocked my computer and installed a one year firewall.  When the year was up I did get notice that my service had expired but I did not renew it.   Some time passed and I got a call from Brian telling me that a different IP then mine out of Jamaica was trying to get into my e-mail.  He then charged me a $1200 hundred dollar fee that was supposed to cover me for a lifetime of protection even if a got other computers.  Yesterday I received a call from him (apox. 6 months later) saying the same Jamaica IP was again trying to get into my e-mail.  And that for $850.00 he could give me lifetime protection for off-line security explaining  that what I previously purchased was on-line protection and that this was different.  I'm confused and am wondering if this is a scam.

Please help me!

Kim  

Just to explain a couple of things to you.

1. You have the Windows firewall by default, which comes as part of the operating system, is free and also is active as long as the operating system is working.

2. He has no idea what goes on with your email.

FYI: If you gave him remote access he would be checking into more than email. Covered in my first reply.

3. If you were never online with your computer, you would never need security.

4. Microsoft and other companies, Avast, AVG, etc. give FREE anti-virus programs to use as long as you like.

5. And there are free anti-malware programs to supplement them.

Bill,

Thanks for speedy reply.  I'm at the point where I'm going to get a new windows 10 computer.  Will this remedy the problem?  I believe he did have remote access he took over my computer to run his security scans with a program called, GoToAssist.

As I said:

If you have given them Remote Access and if you do Internet Banking, contact your Bank, explain it to them and change Passwords.

If you use your Credit Card online, cancel it and get a new one issued to you.

And the only way that you will know that you are free of them is to save your Data and do a clean install of your Operating System.

There is no need for you to buy another computer, unless you want a new computer.

Does buying a new computer with windows 10 solve the problem?

Bill,

does buying a new computer solve the problem?

No computer -- with Windows 7, Windows 10, or any other operating system -- will protect you from being fooled by scammers and con artists.  You need to learn how to stay safe on the Internet.

See https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams and read some of the results of these Google searches: 

• https://www.google.com/search?q=stay+safe+on+the+internet
• https://www.google.com/search?q=report+computer+scams

Do not call telephone numbers that "pop up" on your computer.  And never, never respond to a telephone call from an unknown person claiming to have any connection with your computer or the software on it.  Just hang up.

If you paid the $194 + $1200 by credit card, call your credit card company, explain that you were scammed, and ask for your money to be refunded and an investigation to be commenced.

You might also consider reporting these events to the police in Kentwood, MI and/or as described at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams#Scammed

If you do report these events, you might pass along the following information, which I found from a brief Internet search:

• There is no "Brian Tyler" listed at 4587 Blaine Ave SE, Kentwood, Michigan, 49508
• The property at that address is owned by persons named LE LOAN & DUNG VU, who purchased the property in March 2015 for $127,500.00.  "Dung Vu" may or may not be the same person as "Gung Vu," who has paid the tax on that property.  See records at http://tinyurl.com/yxgqla79
• The entity "Web Utility Pro LLC" was registered in the state of Michigan on October 24, 2017, by DIEM VU, who is located at 40600 ANN ARBOR RD E STE 201, PLYMOUTH, MI 48170.  See records at https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=3
  

• The entity "Web Utility Pro LLC" was registered in the state of Michigan on October 24, 2017, by DIEM VU, who is located at 40600 ANN ARBOR RD E STE 201, PLYMOUTH, MI 48170.  See records at https://cofs.lara.state.mi.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=3
  

Actually, 40600 ANN ARBOR RD E STE 201, PLYMOUTH, MI 48170 is an address of "CT Corporation" or "The Corporation Company," which is a well-known company that acts as the "registered agent" for many, many companies.  Whenever a company is incorporated or registered with a state, it has to appoint a "registered agent."  Anyone who wants to sue a company can serve the complaint on the registered agent and as far as the courts are concerned, that is equivalent to serving the complaint or a subpoena or other legal process on the company.

I suspect that Dong Vu, Gong Vu, and Diem Vu are all related and all live in the Grand Rapids, MI area.

No computer -- with Windows 7, Windows 10, or any other operating system -- will protect you from being fooled by scammers and con artists.  You need to learn how to stay safe on the Internet

Yes I understand what you are saying above.  But does getting a new computer, rid me of the Vu's, is what I am wondering.

Thank you for all the information you presented.  I did fill out a form here on this site notifying Microsoft.

I payed with check mailing it to the address you looked up.  Not even concerned about recouping my money but I do want to get rid of them from my comp.    Don't mind getting a new laptop.  This one is old and dated.   Does getting a new computer rid me of them?