Microsoft slammed for delays over Windows virus phone scam

SOFTWARE giant Microsoft was criticised today for waiting over a year to alert PC users to a scam in which bogus engineers call and request payment for fixing non-existent computer faults.

Thousands of people are believed to have fallen victim to the scam, in which callers, sometimes claiming to represent Microsoft technical support, telephone users to offer “free security checks”.

The callers then claim to find faults or viruses, which they offer to remove for a fee. They then go on to request bank details.

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Microsoft said it had surveyed 7,000 computer users in the UK, Ireland, US and Canada and found an average of 16 per cent of people had received such calls. In Ireland the figure was 26 per cent.

More than a fifth of those who received such a call were tricked into following the fraudsters’ instructions, it said.

But today Microsoft was criticised for not releasing the results of its survey sooner. Matthew Bath, technology editor, Which?, said: “We think Microsoft should have alerted consumers to this scam as soon as the problem first came to its attention.

“Which? Computing told Microsoft this was happening in early 2010 - what on earth was it waiting for, and how many people fell victim to the scam in the meantime?

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Scammers are always on the look-out for new opportunities, and it’s crucial that organisations like Microsoft do their part to help consumers protect themselves.”

Microsoft said it was advising people not to purchase software or services from anyone purporting to represent its Windows technical support department.

The company said on tis website: “Ask if there is a fee or subscription associated with the “service.” If there is, hang up.”