Ammyy SCAM!!!

[svHyLyte]

Earlier today while working I got a call on our home phone from someone with a thick Indian accent claiming to be from Microsoft Technical Support and claiming he was calling me because our computer system had "Reported" various malfunctions and intrusions. When I asked him how he got our phone number he claimed it was given to Microsoft when we "Activated" our copy of Windows (which I knew was BS because we never give our our home phone number out; because our number was different when we activated our current systems; and, because our home computers were set up by our MIS guy from my office, at my office, who didn't have our home number anyway).

This guy went through a bunch of BS claiming my Windows Activation "License" was due to expire and that I needed to renew it by down-loading a program known as Ammyy.exe from the internet so he could "fix my computer remotely".

"In your dreams" I said and hung up. I Googled Ammyy.? and came up with tons of references to a Scam that allows these characters to compromise unsuspecting peoples' systems and harvest passwords, credit account information and the like. Since I had not heard of this scam before I thought it would be worth my mentioning it here in case anyone else gets a similar call/inquiry.

FWIW...

[maxingout]

One of the reasons I have an I pad is to look at emails and any suspicious urls that I want to check out.

If there is bad code or evil intent on the url, the worst thing that happens is it will bounce off my iPad usually without any problem.

I don't read emails on my windows based machines any longer, because there is so much bad stuff out there, and the windows operating system has so many susceptibilities.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Earlier today while working I got a call on our home phone from someone with a thick Indian accent claiming to be from Microsoft Technical Support and claiming he was calling me because our computer system had "Reported" various malfunctions and intrusions. When I asked him how he got our phone number he claimed it was given to Microsoft when we "Activated" our copy of Windows (which I knew was BS because we never give our our home phone number out; because our number was different when we activated our current systems; and, because our home computers were set up by our MIS guy from my office, at my office, who didn't have our home number anyway).

This guy went through a bunch of BS claiming my Windows Activation "License" was due to expire and that I needed to renew it by down-loading a program known as Ammyy.exe from the internet so he could "fix my computer remotely".

"In your dreams" I said and hung up. I Googled Ammyy.? and came up with tons of references to a Scam that allows these characters to compromise unsuspecting peoples' systems and harvest passwords, credit account information and the like. Since I had not heard of this scam before I thought it would be worth my mentioning it here in case anyone else gets a similar call/inquiry.

FWIW...

Thanks for the warning!

Sound similar to one going around recently where the call was coming from the Microsoft Help Desk (as if ...).

After a couple of calls, I had some some fun by going along with their "help" but feigning ignorance (in truth that part is fairly easy and factual). They tried to walk me through all the keystrokes to download the bad stuff but I kept responding that my screen looked different to what they saying but occasionally giving answers that they wanted to hear. I could hear the frustration building in their voice; they had a sucker but he was so dumb they couldn't pull the scam.

After 20 mins or more when they asked me check (again) what version of windows I was using, I replied that they must already know this because of it was my computer that had reported the problem to them in the first place but if they could wait, I would ask my kid as "he knows all about computers". I put the phone down, made a coffee etc and then told them that my kids said I was using a Mac operating system and did that make any difference.

They hung up immediately - I have never had another phone call.

My mate takes a different approach, he just says "I'm just the constable, the senior sergeant is in charge of the computer system, please hold....." They never do

[Pete7]

Same scam currently doing the rounds in the UK. Told him I work in IT and he hung up straight away.

Pete

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Earlier today while working I got a call on our home phone from someone with a thick Indian accent claiming to be from Microsoft Technical Support and claiming he was calling me because our computer system had "Reported" various malfunctions and intrusions. When I asked him how he got our phone number he claimed it was given to Microsoft when we "Activated" our copy of Windows (which I knew was BS because we never give our our home phone number out; because our number was different when we activated our current systems; and, because our home computers were set up by our MIS guy from my office, at my office, who didn't have our home number anyway).

This guy went through a bunch of BS claiming my Windows Activation "License" was due to expire and that I needed to renew it by down-loading a program known as Ammyy.exe from the internet so he could "fix my computer remotely".

"In your dreams" I said and hung up. I Googled Ammyy.? and came up with tons of references to a Scam that allows these characters to compromise unsuspecting peoples' systems and harvest passwords, credit account information and the like. Since I had not heard of this scam before I thought it would be worth my mentioning it here in case anyone else gets a similar call/inquiry.

FWIW...

I googled the name of this program plus the extension named (I have a Macintosh). The first five sites made it sound incredibly up and up. Then I found this one:

Ammyy.com Scam

This scam is really slick.

[SaltyMonkey]

@ WOtname - ROFLMAO! nice job!

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Thanks for the warning!

Sound similar to one going around recently where the call was coming from the Microsoft Help Desk (as if ...).

After a couple of calls, .

We should all learn to appreciate the "toys" that are given to us.

[Swede57]

Seems to be all over the world. I have had the on the phone several times here in Ireland. If I have time I usually mess with them. We have one Windows machine, the rest is all Mac so we're safe.

[boden36]

We had the same thing over and over for a few weeks and then it stopped. I rather enjoy it - I pretend to be hard of hearing and can keep them repeating over and over sometimes for 20 minutes if I am having a good day.
Regards,
Richard.

[nigel1]

Girlfriend had a call from them at work, went along with the game for about 30 minutes, then said she had downloaded and executed the program but there was an error message. They asked what it was, she spelled out CALLPOLICE. They hung up.

[dirkdig]

They ring us every few weeks in Melbourne,Aust. Tell us about our home computer issues,we dont even have a home computer!

[four winds]

Just a note to clarify some of this.

The software from ammyy.com is a legitimate remote desktop program. It can be used to remotely access one's own computer or administrate computers remotely. There are other programs that do this as well.

The scam is third party con artists using the software to gain access to an unsuspecting individual's computer. If one loads the software and gives the scammer the access code they have remote access to the computer.

Obviously, one should never grant access to a stranger on the phone. But it's not surprising that it happens after many attempts.

[captain58sailin]

This is good info. thanks for the heads up.

[hblask]

Here's a video

where the scammers called an anti-virus researcher... I think this is the same one.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Swede57

We have one Windows machine, the rest is all Mac so we're safe.

I have several windows machines and a brain, so I to am also safe.