I’ve just had a phone call from Mike Cooper at “Microsoft” claiming that they will provide me with free IT support.
He advised me that I was being called because when Internet Explorer crashed and I pressed Report this to Microsoft the problem was so important they phoned me and that the problem on my computer had actually infected Microsoft’s own servers!
Not only would he help fix my computer but he would provide free software to keep it protected in the future as no one anti virus software would protect me “100 person”.
All I had to do was visit itezy.net and download “System Protector”, “Email and Data Backup” and “Anti-mallware Protection” and if I had any future problems to call them back on 0800 0988470.
As soon as the call started I knew it was a scam, for starters Mike didn’t sound very English, he was badly reading from a script, he wanted me to visit Microsoft’s website at a URL which wasn’t microsoft.com, and he thought I was still using IE!
I ended the call at the stage where he wanted me to enter their website, this allowed me to get most of the information they were providing to write this blog post without infecting my machine. I was then phoned back twice, however I just ignored the calls.
Microsoft will never call you, if you have visited this website uninstall anything you have downloaded. If you have handed over cash ask for your money back and contact your credit card company.
Get a real anti virus software and check to see if anything has been left on your machine, and if you are still worried take it to a local expect.
Microsoft Australia have a blog post about this scam, looks like it’s just started to come over here.
8th June 2010 edit: for a laugh I went to their website on a sandboxed device. They list their “UK address” as Marble Arch Tower, 55 Bryanston Street, London, W1H 7AA which when googled comes back with a variety of iffy companies and this one for a Virtual Office where you can have your mail redirected.
And looking further the same goes for their New Zealand, US and Australian offices.
Ditto Ryan’s experience, received a call purporting to be from Microsoft…. “one off payment of £69.00 for lifetime technical support and antivirus software…. etc etc” from woman who could hardly speak English . Hung up when being “transferred to supervisor” (no doubt to extract credit card details), so no software downloaded or remote access to computer permitted !! They called back twice thereafter but I didn’t pick up their calls.
Any ideas as to how we can get back at these people??? I called back several times on the 0800 xxxx number (0800 numbers are free with my service provider) and hung up as shortly after they answered. After a few calls, I told them not to call my number again or I would take them to court. No doubt an idle threat if they are in India but I felt better for it !!!!. Could this be “automated” to keep ringing their number and block the line ???
I detest these scam calls and they seem to be getting more frequent so something needs to be done. Any ideas anyone ????
PS: since when did Microsoft sell any thing for £69.00 anyway ? ….. but that’s another gripe !!
🙂 bit of digging using whois suggests that the gentleman who called you may be based in New Delhi and called “Ajay Sethi” (if that is his real name!) If you do change your mind though Ryan you can email him at [email protected]. Alternatively you could send him a friend request here http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=757750431.
Hi All,
This is just to bring into your notice that ITEZY is not a scam rather it is fleet of Microsoft certified peolple who are available 24/7 to help us from all sort of computer realted problems moreover their are peolpe who live in their own world and everthin which comes to them as a boon or reality they misinterpret it.
I would like to ask this question to all the readers that have you ever tried ITEZY services and if you have not please try it, then one would realize that what exactly itezy is………..
I must conclude saying this that “ONE SHOULD NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER”
“Sam” (from India), if they were not a scam why lie and say they were calling directly from Microsoft? Why offer “free support” only to sell scareware? Why do Microsoft in Australia say they are working with Trading Standards?
Why would anyone try a service from LIARS who want to gain remote access to your computer?
If you really had a team of Microsoft certified people I would suggest that Microsoft have let their standards slip as the “advisor” on the phone clearly had only been using a computer for a day.
And WTF are you on about books?
Had a horrible experience with this company. They ring up saying there with micrsoft and tell your computer is slow…..which it is. she offered anti viral software and this would increase its speed.This indian woman said it was all free. she then transfered me to her supervisor “austin”. I then released what they were doing and stoped the conversation. But as they had control of my computer i couldn’t delete any of it. They rang back and thretened me with a 200 pound fine and called me a git. i was upset. a family member managed to get them of my back.
I have just been stung by these rogues. I was suspicious from the start, but against my better judgement allowed them into my computer, and paid them £69.99. They then tried me for another £150 . More fool me! The names I was given (both Indian) was “Michael Jacob” and “Austin”.
Hi, Just had Mike Cooper, with a very strong Indian accent, trying to take control of my machine. Exactly the same scenario as Ryans. in fact it was virtually word for word. I also ended the call when they got aggressive because I wouldn’t go to their website.
Be very aware
I was just like Tom but was stung in early May. I have phoned the police, Microsoft, trading standards, BT as it is their line, Ofcom and watchdog! The have hit Australia and now seem to be targetting the UK-warn everyone! My mother in law just called me to say an Indian man rang her for nearly an hour demanding £700! Fortunately that put her off.
Hi I got stung today, £159,99 – i paid through paypal so stupidly thought they were a genuine company. Telling me they would update my microsoft word etc. After entering my computer they informed me that I had moles and virus that were very dangerous and I needed to have the computer cleaned of all the virus which were making my computer slow. I have now put in a dispute to paypal and fingers crossed I will get my money back.
How stupid do I feel.
Company is fraud they make you fool they are not Microsoft people You know what they did with there employees when they started Itezy they hired them and after making them work for months itezy fired employees and did not cleared dues and one of the employee i urge some from USA or UK file a case as they are Microsoft fraud I am Indian I cant as they dn cater Indian people
my god … these itezy people are really cheaters….they wanted to steal my personal details after taking my computer screen… i stopped remote connection when they were attempting to steam my pictures & personal date…. people beware of them……
Don’t pay anything to itezy as never gonna call u back as they have fraud toll free number……
Yeah this is almost certainly a scam. The interesting thing about the call I received is that they knew my name and phone number. (I live in the UK and my phone number is ex-directory. I also use the Telephone Preference Service to ensure I don’t get spam phone calls.)
They claimed that they got my details from some ‘survey’. I didn’t trust ‘Alan Smith’ or his supervisor ‘James’ one bit. No way would I give them remote access to my computer. And nor should you.
I also recieved a call from the intrepid Mike Cooper, in fact I recieved four calls in one night, having asked him to
a/ ring back once I had turned on my PC,
b/ put the phone down on him,
c/ arranged for him to ring pack again once I had verified his supposed ID by contacting the number on the web site of ITEZY.net
Of course I didn’t call the number on the web page, instead I ran a quick check on ITEZY on the net to discover that it is a domain name registered for only twelve months in Delhi and also discovered a page from an internet mag in Australia that identified it as a scam.
I also telephoned my service provider who were not aware of ITEZY followed by a call to the local police.
The guy even rang back the following evening to try and discover what I had found out!
Since the date of the calls I have written to my local paper ‘The Grimsby Evening Telegraph’ who published an article warning others of the scam.
That resulted in other local people who have had similar calls tracking down my number and calling me to let me know their experiences and comparing notes.
I suggest that anyone else reading this also contacts their local paper and does something similar.
Scooter UK
I had a similar expierence to pauline draper,a woman rug up saying they were microsoft and that i was having problems with my computer, which in fact was true dont know how they new,i at first beleived them,i was told for £159.00 i would have latest version of avg untill 2018 went along through paypal,but began to doubt, tried for refund with no sucess from itezy, complained to pay pal as i felt i was wrongly sold this product,i did however receive avg 9.0 rather expensive
I fell for the same scam as I too was having problems which I had reported to M’soft.
NOW THEY CALL THEMSELVES “ITSTRONG” as well as “ITEZY”.
So beware!!!
Just got a call from ITStrong.net. They too were trying to get me to run the usual ‘Computer Management’ Control Panel snap-in and pointed me to look at the ‘Event Viewer’ then the ‘Windows logs’ and ‘System’ tabs which will petty much always show some errors and warnings. However, without asking for the details of the errors I saw there, they requested me to browse to ITStrong.net and download an executable which would give them remote access.
God only knows what they would do on my machine or install. They certainly wouldn’t tell me in advance even when I pushed them.
Their new website (itstrong.net) looks different from the old (itezy.net) but has the same freephone number – 0800 098 8470.
I pushed their manager on why there was a name change and he claimed that it was because the script which was initially used stated that the person phoning was from Microsoft and he said that this shouldn’t have happened. This time around, the person phoning me did say that they were from ‘ITStrong’ and that they were ‘Microsoft Certified’. Obviously trying to distance themsleves from the obvious lies of itezy.net.
However, I decided to push on the ‘Microsoft Certified’ bit. People can check on Microsoft Certification by getting two details from the claimant; their Transcript ID and their Access Code. Using these details, you can check if someone is legitimately certified. When I asked for these details, the manager got extremely defensive and asked me when I would need these details. Despite explaining that I needed to check if the company/people were legitimately certified, he refused to give me these details.
Perhaps others can push for this – I’d like to see if there is any truth in the logo they emblazed on their web site.
I didn’t push on the CISCO logo.
Anyway, I’ll leave it to others to draw conclusions on whether this is a scam or not.
I fell for this like a total idiot! I gave them access to both my computers, one desk-top and one notebook. When I tried to run System Restore to rid the machines of whatever had been implanted, the desk top was unable to do it. The notebook has been wiped of everything on it, including Windows XP software ! What a nightmare!
Online Support For You is a new name, same old tricks, they even have a Rex on ther team, damn cheek…
sadly, I have just fallen for the plausible words of online support for you. they installed AVG Internet Security 2011 on my computer, and I parted with my money for a year’s support and a 9 year licence ?.
feeling a little uncomfortable, I did some digging!
I checked with AVG………..no such thing ! The software is illegal, and the licence number is invalid. Contacted the Bank to stop the payment, so if you get a phone call from them saying that you have a lot of virus’s on your computer…………..DONT DO IT !!!
I have had very good service from “Online Support For You” – the real firm – since 2009. However I was rung on February 22nd by a caller whose voice sounded the same as one I was used to and parted with a further £168 for five years extended protection. I rang the firm when I realised this payment wasn’t due until next year, which they confirmed. My Paypal payment was taken out by a firm called JMD Technologies. I am currently chasing them up – they have a big online profile so I am hoping they can solve this. So check online first. Like I just did for “Credit Expert Experian” who appear to be failing on honest.
Look, folks, it’s very simple. DON’T BUY ANY GOODS OR SERVICES FROM COLD CALLERS NO MATTER WHO THEY CLAIM TO BE OR WHAT THEY CLAIM TO OFFER. If you stick to that simple rule you never have to worry about trying to work out if someone is genuine or not. Plus if everyone stops buying from cold callers, we’ll all stop being harassed by them! It’s only people like the above who buy from cold callers that causes the rest of us to have to put up with them!
Yeah, so many people use virtual office address for creating a scam site.
Yes also there a scammer I said are you Microsoft they said yes yes yes there the same person acting like somebody else.