It's 100 per cent a scam. What you need to do is find out how he got your phone number. It's probably just some sales rep scamming you (i.e. not officially illegal) but if he calls again ask how he got your number.

I only read the first 6 words its a scam....

Is it though? You know when your computer crashes and that box comes up re an error - I've always wondered what's the point - and who takes it up. Personally I have to say it didn't feel right but ...........such a coincidence as my PC has been playing up big time at the moment.

It's really easy to get a 'phone number, call centres do it all the time and then go on to call for whatever reason, e.g. double glazing, insurance, etc, etc.

Yes it is. Never trust any unsolicited 'support' call, ever, ever, ever, ever. I could find 100 things wrong with your computer and convince you that you needed to spend money to fix it in the space of five minutes, but I'm not a conman, so I won't. Just ignore it.

lol - total scam.  Tell 'em piss off if they call back. 

Alternatively, play with them.  String them along, ask about the weather and their pets.  Then flip them off.

It isn't a coincidence soozy. Policing the internt is impossible which is why all these scams turn up.

I wish I'd thought of that 

Soozy - this is definitely a scam. See:
http://www.countytimes.co.uk/n...-telephone-scam.aspx

I'm sorry to say these are not mere salesmen: there are variations around, but they are generally either trying to get you to give out your credit card details (which is what they attempted with you), or else they are trying to get you to go to a dodgy website (in effect a phone version of an e-mail phishing scam.)
A friend of mine was called by these guys recently, but he's "in the industry", and knew immediately it was complete bollox. You were 100% right to hang-up on them.

Bottom line: Microsoft will never phone you unless you've personally asked them to do so (generally, they will only phone by way of returning a call - they never make unsolicited calls.)

I'm not sure I can do it justice, but the best response I've heard recently was by someone called by a "Microsoft Engineer" trying to get him to access a dodgy website.
The person pretended to type in the URL they were given, and then said:
"Oh - that's odd..."
"What's the problem, sir?"
"A message has just popped-up. It says 'This is a scam'. Do you know what that might mean?"
[caller hangs up]

Your experience is similar to that of another forum member a week ago on another thread. I and Eugene's Lair were able to confirm that this was a scam. This is a copy of one of the posts I made there.

There is the question as to why someone claiming to be from Microsoft rang you.  I've just done a Google search and think I may be able to put your mind at rest. I have found a post on another forum posted on 17 June - it reads:

"...from a guy with an Indian accent claiming to be from "Windows Tech Support" ("Microsoft being helpful" I thought? Get outta here!) telling me that my laptop was showing signs of infection. "O...k", I said. He told me I needed to go onto a website called logmein123.com, which will allow him remote access to my laptop. Sure buddy, while I'm at it why don't I just give you my bank details and credit card number? I was nowhere near my laptop at this point, but decided to play along with the conman. He asked me to type in a code, which I pretended to do. I then told him "oops, hold on mate, just got a message on my screen which I don't understand." The guy asks "what is the message sir." "It says: This Is A Scam. Do you know anything about that?" Cue the conman promptly hanging up the phone."

This sounds rather like your experience. By the way logmein is a legitimate outfit as one of my clients who provides specialist software support uses this to access his clients' computers. It is similar to the Remote Desktop Connection program on Windows XP which Microsoft and others can use if they need to get access to your computer. But of course conmen can use logmein and Remote Desktop Connection if you let them (they can't get access without yoo starting to do what they want you to do)

lol, bang on. 

It will come...

Big fat scam They'll just be working through a bank of numbers they have from somewhere and chances are some of them will have computer problems...

i had the exact same call a few days ago........it is a scam......i told him to give me his home phone number and i'd ring him at an innappropriate time and talk a load of bollocks just like he was .....then put the phone down

El Loro ..........that sounds just like my call. I can see how it's easy to get sucked in ........glad I hung up when I did. Although I was a bit suspicious and something wasn't ringing true at the same time it seemed almost legitimate (if that makes sense).

Soozy that sounds really dodgey.  You did the right thing in saying no.

I had the same phone call yesterday and when the lady (who was very difficult to understand especially as she was obviously reading from a script) said my computer was running slowly, I told her my computer was actually running well but she continued on her script regardless.
I told her I had no problems with my computer, thanked her, said goodbye and hung up.

I knew my computer was perfectly ok as my tech guy had been round the previous day to set up my webcam and he found no problems. He was quite impressed that I do a daily virus scan too so I know all was well.
I have had daily International hang up calls for the past fortnight but I can't ignore them as my aunt in Canada has just had brain surgery and I don't want to miss any calls from her sons.

Well that's how con men work, Soozy. They wouldn't make any money at all unless they could sound convincing. Glad you turned him down.

If it feels wrong to you then it most probably is wrong