Microsoft phone scam continues its trickery

Having a secured and working computer is very important to Porter and her husband.

"We each have email accounts and I access my web mail for work on the computer," Margie Porter said.

But, Porter said that their computer security was threatened when they got a phone call.

Porter said the person on the other end of the phone persistently kept calling her for two weeks.

"He identifies himself as Carl Adams from Windows," Porter said.

Windows, as in "Microsoft windows."

The guy on the other line claimed that Porter's computer was infected with viruses and he wanted to help.

"My husband did go upstairs because he wanted to just see and he didn't give him any personal information yet and sure enough those little markers that they were talking about were there," Porter said.

The caller gained Porter's and her husband's confidence, but then something just didn't feel right about the instructions the caller was giving.

"When they asked him to gain control of his computer and give them access to the computer, then we knew we better not do that," Porter said.

Ken Colburn is a computer expert with Data Doctors and told 3 On Your Side that Porter and her husband were almost scammed.

"We've seen this scam being played out the last couple of years where you'll get a phone call from somebody and they'll just out of the blue claim they're with Microsoft or some big company and they've detected that your computer is infected and they're here to help," Colborn said.

He said that this type of scam typically works because they are preying on non-technical people.

"This is really, really easy to avoid," Colburn said. "The simple rule is if you did not initiate the call for help, don't allow anybody to remote into your computer."

Porter said she is worried about what could have happened if he had gained access to her computer and wants this message sent to others.

"Be on your guard. Always be on your guard with your information that you're not sure of the source," Porter said.

This scam really annoys Microsoft, and like me, they're issuing a warning to consumers.

For more information on what Microsoft has to say, visit www.microsoft.com.