does support call from random numbers

[why_amitrippin]

does hp support rep call from random phones. I have getting call from someone that says they are with hp support and that the have been getting messages from my computer and that they believe it is a virus or several viruses. but they are call from a tax service or some thing other than hp. can some one answer this before I let them in to my computer.

thanks 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

No one from HP will ever call you out of the blue and tell you there is a problem with your PC.

Those are scam calls.  Do not engage in conversation with them.

HP has issued this warning notice regarding scammers posing as HP techs.

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/hpfraud-alert.html?jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0001

[why_amitrippin]

Thank you so much. The last person that called like that wanted $50 to go in and stop what ever virus was sending the alerts. I had this person call me back in 3hrs so that I could check on this, why are they calling from Monica's Tax Ser 1-805-689-3840. I will tell not to contact me any more, again Thank You.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Be vigilant!

[Tonyquart]

Paul has answered it. You might want to just ignore those kind of calls next time. These scams have been around since years ago. I just Googled about tech support scam and found many people have reported similar cases at http://www.whycall.me/800-407-6210.html even since months ago. It's better to just block the number and report it to the authority.

[vern01]

I get the same type calls, but they say there from a Microsoft, say ing my computer is notifying them

[mdklassen]

>  they say they're from a Microsoft.

The ones that call me never say "Microsoft" -- they say "from windows", to try to deceive you.

If I am feeling bored, I try to keep them on the phone for as long as possible, by pretending total ignorance and to be hard-of-hearing, asking them to repeat every command that they tell me to enter.  As long as they are talking to me, they cannot be talking to anybody much more gullible.

At times, I have taken my Mac MIni:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Mini

with a PC keyboard attached to a USB port.

When the scammer tells me to press the "Windows" key on the keyboard,  I do, then I say "nothing happened", which is true, because the computer is running Apple IOS, not a Windows operating system.  That usually greatly confuses them, because I have not told them that my PC keyboard is not connected to a "PC". 

The local automobile dealerships always fire their worst-performing sales-employee at month-end.

I hope that the scammer is working for a company that does the same.

By keeping the scammer "busy" for 30 minutes, with no results, I hope that the scammer gets closer to being rated as the "worst".

Note that online "reverse lookup" web-sites -- type in a number, and get the name of a company -- often get outdated.  So, never trust what you have read on the Internet. 

Also, scammers using CPE ("Customer Provided Equipment") can set their Caller-ID information to be any "name" and "number" -- sometimes picking the telephone-number of an innocent person/company.

If you do call-back that number, remember that it might not be the scammer, and initially be polite.