Microsoft Warns of IT Support Phone Scams

Microsoft warns that one in seven computer users may have received phone calls from scammers, pretending to be support engineers. The criminals call people at home to tell them they are at risk of a computer security threat and offering free security checks. Using telephone directories to refer to their victims by name, they claim to represent legitimate companies. Later, the criminals ask for credit card details to pay for an anti- virus service.

Microsoft's survey shows that about 3% of people, who received such calls have believed and have followed the scammers' instructions.

"It's a clever piece of social engineering by the scammers - you believe that they're doing you a favour, so your natural inclination is to trust them as they appear to be helping you," says Graham Cluley of security firm Sophos.

"The security of software is improving all the time, but at the same time we are seeing cybercriminals increasingly turn to tactics of deception to trick people in order to steal from them," says Richard Saunders, director of international public and analyst relations at Microsoft.

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