# Got A Very Professional Looking Scam Today



## fmdog44 (Oct 24, 2019)

Sadly, we often hear people say, "but they looked so honest and professional" after they have been scammed. This morning I received a very professional looking scam "from" Microsoft   asking for my user name and password saying someone is trying to break into my computer. It offered a 1-888 989 8673 phone number to call if I had any questions. It had all the bells & whistles.  It offered "No Thanks" and "IGNORE" buttons as if I could proceed on and ignore this warning. It would not let me shut down. I pulled the battery twice after trying to get back on twice. So I jumped in the truck and took it to Office Depot for a look. When I got there an booted up everything was back to normal. The tech said we have to wait10-20 minutes when we shut down to make it go away. So if you are new to these WARNINGS ignore them and don't call the HELP phone numbers either.


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## TravelinMan (Oct 24, 2019)

I *NEVER* click on any link in an eMail.  If I really feel like it may be genuine I will go directly to the website and log in there.  If the notice was real I can find a message waiting for me there.

You are right, they do make those scam eMails look real.


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## C'est Moi (Oct 24, 2019)

TravelinMan said:


> I *NEVER* click on any link in an eMail.  If I really feel like it may be genuine I will go directly to the website and log in there.  If the notice was real I can find a message waiting for me there.
> 
> You are right, they do make those scam eMails look real.


You'd think people would know this by now.   Which reminds me, "Apple" has been calling my house again.


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## Ken N Tx (Oct 24, 2019)

Scam...

.
CLICK HERE


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## Sunny (Oct 24, 2019)

It's amazing that people are still falling for this stuff. Recently, a friend (in her 80's and a bit confused) told me she had received a letter in the mail from the IRS threatening her with imprisonment because she owed back taxes. She said the letter looked very official. Fortunately, she sent it on to her tax accountant and didn't pay anything, but she was still wondering if it was real!


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## jujube (Oct 24, 2019)

I got a scam email once from the "FBI" that was absolutely identical to the real FBI website page.  I put them up side-by-side and couldn't find a difference.  It was one of those claiming that the "FBI" had uncovered child porn on my computer and I was in REALLY DEEP DOO-DOO unless I paid a fine IMMEDIATELY.

I forwarded it on to the "real" FBI.

Usually, there are misspellings and poor grammar on the fake sites but these guys were perfectionists.  If I had anything to feel guilty about (well, except for those midnight cookies.....), I would have been sweating.....


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## Pepper (Oct 24, 2019)

I got a scam e-mail about 10 years back from a purported hit man who told me he wouldn't kill me if I paid a certain amount + the price paid for the hit.  At the time, I crossed a diamond thief with Russian Mafia ties and I didn't know whether to believe the letter or not.  Normally, I would not have at all, but the situation was complicated by the incident described.  I sent the e-mail, which I received more than once to my local police & FBI.  As I recall, I didn't leave home for awhile.  I'm sure now it was fake, but sure did give me a scare due to the coincidence.


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## Catlady (Oct 24, 2019)

I go to Yahoo News a lot and once in a while I click on an article that says ''Sponsored'' by mistake and after that I get a few scam emails.  I never click on any email links no matter how legit it looks, I just go and sign in at the account itself to see if there's anything wrong.  Even when I get email from Vanguard or my brokerage account, I still go to the website itself.


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## JB in SC (Oct 25, 2019)

If the email address is not in my contacts list, it goes to junk and is not allowed to download third party content. I can check the real address to see if it’s spoofed, then block it.


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## Judycat (Oct 25, 2019)

I wish all these scammers would die.


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## Trade (Oct 25, 2019)

jujube said:


> I got a scam email once from the "FBI" that was absolutely identical to the real FBI website page.  I put them up side-by-side and couldn't find a difference.  It was one of those claiming that the "FBI" had uncovered child porn on my computer and I was in REALLY DEEP DOO-DOO unless I paid a fine IMMEDIATELY.
> 
> I forwarded it on to the "real" FBI.
> 
> Usually, there are misspellings and poor grammar on the fake sites but these guys were perfectionists.  If I had anything to feel guilty about (well, except for those midnight cookies.....), I would have been sweating.....



I've gotten that one a couple of times. Usually comes up when I'm surfing porn sites, which I have been known to do a time or two for "educational" purposes of course. 

They probably figure that's a good time to run their scam because a dude might already be feeling guilty about looking at some porn. Not me though. That's one advantage of being an Atheist. I can watch porn guilt free.  

They lock up your screen like FMdog said. And the only way to get rid of it is to shut your computer completely off.


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## Catlady (Oct 25, 2019)

Trade said:


> Usually comes up when I'm surfing porn sites, which I have been known to do a time or two for "educational" purposes of course.
> They lock up your screen like FMdog said. And the only way to get rid of it is to shut your computer completely off.


I also did that once, also for ''educational purposes only'', of course  , and my screen froze, I couldn't get out and I panicked and shut off the computer.  Sounds like it was the right thing to do.  I was sure I got a dreaded virus, but it seemed to be okay.


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## Don M. (Oct 25, 2019)

E-mail and Phone scams seem to be increasing.  Now, we even get scam phone calls from legitimate phone numbers in our area.  It's almost to the point where we never answer the phone unless we recognise the callers number.  As for E-mail, opening a site that you don't recognize is almost a sure way to pick up some trash that can impact your system.


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## Catlady (Oct 25, 2019)

I even get emails offering to buy something I don't even sell.  They never specify what the item is, just say ''product''.   Just send them info where to send their ''check''.  I used to have a shop at Etsy.com for a couple of years, maybe that's where the scammers got my email info?


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## fmdog44 (Oct 25, 2019)

RE The OP: It was not an email rather it just popped up and occupied the screen when I booted up.


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## Trade (Oct 25, 2019)

fmdog44 said:


> RE The OP: It was not an email rather it just popped up and occupied the screen when I booted up.



Stay off those porn sites dog.


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