Gah. Another phone con...

[Technical Ben]

So some one else I know has been snapped by one of these "Hi we are from microsoft, please can we connect via remote desktop" scams. I even remember telling them never to do that kind of thing.

Anyhow, anyone have any experience with these scams? I'd suggest a return to factory settings, and reinstall everything to be safe. But was wondering if any other options are available? I don't think we have a backup (not a worry, as it's about 2 programs other than windows on there ), and documents are on a different drive.

I'd like the people who do this to get a taste of their own medicine one day. 

[pctech]

I think a reinstall is best Ben as the person is not likely to know what has been installed.

[Glenn]

Also, if they gave their credit card details, call the issuing bank to put a stop on it and maybe re-issue the card.

[Technical Ben]

I think a reinstall is best Ben as the person is not likely to know what has been installed.

As it's remote desktop, no one can. 
To make it worse, the last one I did had the rollback/restore point helpfully deleted by the "assistance" service. (It was reinstalled the week before, and I reinstalled it the week after. Darn callers called the one week the friend was actually waiting for a call from BT, just after I fixed their pc, to fix their broadband). 

Also, if they gave their credit card details, call the issuing bank to put a stop on it and maybe re-issue the card.

Thankfully this customer (who is a good friend now ) did not do that, as they did follow that advice. Sadly they did get tricked with the pc settings. But it's not usually through any mistake of the user, it's the pure horrid tactic of the confidence trick. They know how to rile or confuse everyone except those in the know. Granted we know what we are doing, but what if we walked into a cloths store to buy a handbag... I'd not know a knock off from the real thing. Although I'd put a PC as more important than a handbag, but I guess others would correct me on that.

PS, if my memory serves me right, they previously turned down such a call. I guess the caller called back with a different name/company etc this time and just got lucky?

[pctech]

There's a good vid on youtube where one of these jokers rings an IT bloke and he plays along for a bit, had me in stitches it did.

I'll find it later

[Technical Ben]

Good news is I'd setup the PC to backup every Sunday. So did a system re-image from the backup. Phew.