HP Support perpetrates fake tech support fraud and lies about malware

[SomeGuyNamedKev]

One of my clients was having trouble an hp printer today. She started with this HP support page

https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/hp-officejet-pro-8020-all-in-one-printer-series/242...

She had problems reinstalling the HP Smart app. It failed at 68% done. Eventually the app indicated she needed to call tech support. She did. The tech who claimed to be named Kevin seems to have fixed whatever the printer problem was but then he turned into a scumbag.

HP's support representative "Kevin" directed her to this fake malware page hosted on inklineglobal.com. This person was using a Mac and obviously is not affected by csrss.exe kinds of files. This was the first lie.

Then HP's agent Kevin ran some kind of command in the terminal that spewed out a bunch of irrelevant information. After that he pulled the old "paste in scary words on the command line to freak people out" trick.

As we can see from this screenshot of the terminal, HP's representative "Kevin" is pasting in text like "**V2Px Code Red Malware detected" in the terminal and hitting return.

After fraudulently making it appear as if my client's iMac had malware, HP's representative "Kevin" offered to provide some kind of network firewall service for $400.

My client wisely refused. Kevin calls people back using the phone number 877-547-3993

My questions for HP are:

• Does HP condone your own support representatives lying to your customers and committing fraud?
• Is Network Firewall Checkpoint 770 an HP product that your representatives should be selling?
• Does HP have any connection to inklineglobal.com
• Is the phone number [Content Removed] a number in use by HP or any of it's subcontractors?
• Will HP willingly refund any money fraudulently obtained by their support representatives?
• How does Hewlett Packard explain this criminal conduct going on under your noses and originating from the hp.com domain?

This is not the first time I've heard of this happening but it's the first time I've recorded evidence. It is not an isolated incident. I look forward to receiving HP's response to the criminal conduct they are allowing.

[Valsimot]

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c05404707 

[Valsimot]

You should double-check the steps the user took before getting scammed. User probably Googled to fake support leading it to be scammed. Check users browsing history on that day that might give you guidance on what happened.

[Content Removed]

[SomeGuyNamedKev]

This user was directed to the scammers by HP software.

[Dragon-Fur]

@SomeGuyNamedKev 

< Opinions / Content removed by author>

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[SomeGuyNamedKev]

Sorry but you are wrong. HP Support, or their subcontractors, do indeed appear to be doing fake malware and ripping off people.

The user had trouble installing HPSmart. At some point the app popped up an offer to connect to HP Tech support. The user did not randomly google "help" and cluelessly click on sketchtechsupport dot com. This originated with HP Software. It was not found on the internet. Do you get that?

The user did not call a number. A tech called her from [Content Removed]. He initiated screen sharing. He seems to have fixed whatever the printer issue was which may have been related to some kind of security certificate on a wifi-connected printer.

After doing that, the same support tech initiated the fraud documented above. He had screen sharing access to the user's computer for some time. He opened the Terminal app and typed in netstat, then started pasting in fake warnings about malware. Then he tried to push a fake firewall service for $400.

So yeah, sorry to disappoint you, but this was what happened and contact originated from HP software. Is it really so hard to imagine some cheap outsourced support trying to scam some extra money after HP has handed them access to user's machines? It would be much easier than doing cold calls.

HP has a problem. They, or someone they are subcontracting for support, are liars and criminals. How can any HP Support be trusted?

[Trixie4150]

Same issue.  Started on HP website and chat opened offering tech. support.  Same bs.  Now I worry what else he did.  

[12stepn]

Today, I was trying get printer driver to upload on new laptop.  I had problems and called number that I was sure was was HP Support.  I spoke to Kevin Williams and he informed me that my "Network" was full of Trojan viruses and for a fee of $399.00 I could have problem resolved.  I informed him that I was a member of Geek Squad and I would just contact them to clean up my computers.   He then offered me a different plan for $149 and another for $129.  I continued to be nice and then discontinued the call and called Geek Squad.  They told me they are very familiar with these scams and that there were no viruses or trojan issues on my new laptop.