This has just been forwarded to me from our local Neighbourhood Watch (I live in the UK) – see below. Normally I dismiss these stories as scaremongering, but I KNOW this one is true as it happened to my neighbours just a couple of days ago.
They received a phone call from someone who gave them the impression that they were calling from Microsoft, told them their computer was sending out spam messages, talked them through delving into an error reporting panel I’d never seen before to show them all the errors and then directed them to Spark Support.
I managed to convince them it was a scam. If you receive a call telling you there is something wrong with your computer, put the phone down.
Do NOT talk to these scammers and DO NOT let them take control of your computer. In fact, do not have anything to do with The Spark Support. I have just delved into their website. Their testimonials page contains links to a forum where it is clear that they have hijacked legitimate user accounts to post scam testimonials. The site they hacked contains this warning “There was a recent downtime due to issues with our backup servers followed by the corruption of some db tables from a hack attempt.”
Important note: There is a LEGITIMATE company called “Spark Support” (www.sparksupport.com). They DO NOT cold call and and are a LEGITIMATE computer support company.
This is the message forwarded to me by Neighbourhood Watch
“SCAM COMPUTER CALLS
Over the past few days we have received several reports of a Computer Support Company, cold calling people in the area asking them to log onto their computer as they have detected serious viruses on your computer or your connections are affecting neighbours. They say they are from companies like “Spark Support”, “Microsoft”, or just “Your computer support company” etc. They get you to log onto a web site where you enter in a code and then they take remote access to you computer. After they supposedly remove the offending virus they then inform you that they will now be sending you a rather large bill for the service. These Remote Access companies offer remote technical support to computer users but they charge a large fee for something that can be done easily. Should you receive such a call, DO NOT switch on your computer, take their contact details and hang up. Fraud line has recommended that you then ring the consumer company direct and complain.”
I had a call from a representative from spark support this morning – but being a computer scientist I knew it was a sham from the start!
The idiot first tried to convince me that I had errors and warnings on my machine by going to my computer log files (which didnt show anything unusal). Subsequently, he asked me to go to the sparksupport website and asked me to select a laptop action which I knew would allow him to take control of my machine. I then challenged him by saying that there is nothing wrong with my machine and that you guys are sham – he then hung up. Im just lucky I happened to be at home today because my mother would have fallen for it!
We need to spread the word here… the call I received was an international call. STAY AWAY FROM ANYONE ASKING YOU TO SWITCH ON YOUR MACHINE. ITS A SCAM!!
There are many companies in the name sparksupport and this one would be “thesparksupport” I guess
The Spark Support has a young group of management and professional services team that delivers
quality services on time.They have the experience and capabilities to take new challenges and
opportunities.”ITS NOT SCAM”
Edit – by keepsafeonthenet owner - these are the details left by the poster of this comment –
Wills Smith
thesparksupport.com
willssmith@willssmith.com
122.174.106.205
The IP address resolves to Chennai in India. The email address is fake.
@ Carole – yes, thesparksupport.com is the one
Their website has been amended. The links to the forum they hacked have been removed. There is now a “chat now” button that brings up a freeware live chat program that doesn’t connect to anything!
And……. a little more detective work. The security certificate on their site is actually registered to a site called “thenerdsupport.com” – whose content bears more than a passing resemblance to “thesparksupport.com”.
My mother-in-law has had the call and let them (Spark Support) have remote access to her PC – luckily she consulted me (an IT consultant) before paying £60 to have the ‘problem’ fixed.
I’ve checked over her PC and can’t see anything running or sending out anything unusual to the net – does anyone know if they do install anything while they have control of the victim’s PC?
@byatis – I don’t think they install anything. I think the scam is just charging you to fix non-existent problems.
At my day job we have had 5 customers report these calls in the last week. Mainly, due to our location, silver surfers!!
It is slightly concerning that all seem to be targeted and the caller knows their name….all use BT for DSL although I am sure this is not relevent…or is it?
I received a call from an Indian guy a short while ago. He said he was calling from India and worked for Spark Support based in Manchester. He had details of my and my wife’s names and phone nnumbers. He claimed that whilst my computer did not have a virus it did contain errors which he said had been notified (by whom?) to a “centralised id organisation”. I told him him there was no such thing as a free lunch so what was the bottom line. He thought that the cost to me would be minimal, say £25, but would depend on how many errors existed. I told him I didn’t do business without knowing the precise cost and put the phone down. He has not called again (so far). Clearly from what I have read above I did the right thing.
Had the same call. Just ask them for your IP address, if your computer is sending them messages they will have it. I asked them and they hung up on me I was so upset lol
just had the call – indian gent asking for details and to turn on my pc – telling me i had network intrusions on my computer – when pressed he couldnt tell me what these were – when questioned he just read the same info from a page in front of him
he then passed me to a ‘supervisor’ called steve anderson who has a scandinavian accent ( norway,sweden or finnish) – i took the number 01614-083638 from him and hung up
I was phoned on saturday by someone saying they were from spark support, they asked me to switch on my computer and they would be able to fix potenially lethal viruses that were on there. Luckily I didn’t do want they said.
My dad was called yesterday, it was a good job he is not very good at using a computer because he was unable to to what they wanted him to do and he asked them to ring back later when I was there to help him. When he told me I had an idea it was a scam.
This is happening here in High Wycombe (UK) – had two calls in the space of 1 month, both from an Indian sounding chap, but citing different company names. He got nowhere with us – guessed it was a scam straight away.
Just received calls from the operator at the “global computer” telling me that my computer had been hacked by a virus in Excel and was sending them messages and it had to be a big problem. I asked him for my IP address which of course he didn’t know.
Told the guy he was an idiot an hung up. Subsequently received 4 abusive phone calls from other Indian sound alikes. Guy told me they are based in Oxfordshire but I never stayed long enough to find out who they were.
Update to my previous log.
Alex Miller from Click4Rescue was the fifth call I had.
He gave me a number to call back which was a Basingstoke number but not them. When challenged he stated that he worked for Microsoft to prevent errors on computers.
I am trying to contact Microsoft. Cos’ I want to see these b^&%&s fry. This sort of scam is the lowest of the low.
click4rescue.com doesn’t currently exist as a website – however the domain name is registered to someone in India. Perhaps Microsoft might like to discuss this issue with the Indian Police or Government?
Having tried this scam with my wife, who told them to ring back, I subsequently received a call from someone with an Indian accent, who told me that there were ‘bugs’ in my computer
He was almost unintelligible, and when challenged passed me on to his supervisor
When I pressed for information I was given a website address of ‘www.tsparkssupport.com’, and a “toll free” contact number of 0161 408 3638 (Manchester)
These people really do need shutting down with extreme prejudice
looking at Sparksupport website – http://thesparksupport.com/subscribe.html
I see that they’re using AlertPay to transfer funds for their subscriptions. I suggest you contact AlertPay -https://www.alertpay.com/en/Default.aspx and advise them that scammers are using their payment system to commit fraud
Looks like someone already reported them. Their account has been suspended
During my search for P.C. Health Care U.K. I came across your forum and read with dismay that I have been conned. I live in Australia and received a call one evening from an Indian man who, as someone else mentioned, was very difficult to understand. He put me onto his supervisor, she was far more professional sounding and took me through all the viruses and contaminations on my computer. I fell for it as the computer had been acting up recently and when I was shown via some page I’d never seen before how many times these viruses had corrupted the system I decided to accept their offer. She explained they had from 1 to 5 year contracts – I chose 2 years which cost $200. They did clean up the system as far as I knew, added a Nero Burning and a Norton Virus which she said was for one year but I must ring her (on a local Brisbane number) she would then call me back (from Essex supposedly!) and she would renew it for another year. I am now receiving msgs from Norton saying I only have 10 days left before the protection expires (this whole scam started on 17/6/10). A week after, this same supervisor rang me to see if everything was working well and asked to check the system again, which I did. Since then I have been unable to contact her on the number given as I want to ask why the Norton is due to expire? Now I realise I have even bigger problems and can kiss the $200 goodbye. Would love to hear if anyone else, especially in Australia, have been contacted by P.C. Health Care U.K., the supervisor called herself Michelle (Indian accent but educated).
Interesting topic.
I have received three calls now (in one month)all similar saying either their IT department or Microsoft have reported problems with my computer.
I had seen a report of these scammers so when the first guy called I challenged him and said I had read about the scams and he should be ashamed of stealing from people. He cooly replied: “if I wanted to steal from you I would take it straight from your bank account!” We carried on the conversation for a while like this with me saying does your mother know you steal etc etc and he was very prepared to discuss. In the end I put the phone down.
Subsequently I have not bothered to enter into conversations and find that when they say there is a problem with your computer, I simply reply but that is weird as I don’t have one. They then say oh sorry and put the phone down.
Biggest question is : if I have received three calls in a short time, here in the UK, how many are being made?
“The Spark Support” have been spamming the comments with their number using fake email addresses – and all from the same IP address. Here are all 4 of their spam comments, plus the fake email addresses. As you can see, all have been sent from the same IP address:
Comment 1 this is spark support company number +919894137337. Email address = pilla@yahoo.co, name = inthu. IP address = 182.72.224.6
Comment 2 this is spark support company number +919894137337. Email address = ps23@yahoo.com, name = “brain” (clearly a misnomer!). IP address = 182.72.224.6
Comment 3 i called that number and claimed my money. Email address= rose@talktalk.com, name = rose. IP address = 182.72.224.6
Comment 4 num is +919894137337. Email address= rose@talktalk.com, name = rose. IP address = 182.72.224.6
I’ve been doing some more digging into the contents of “thesparksupport” website. They have an interesting “customer testimonials” page. As far as I can tell, all their testimonials have been copied from other websites. Here are some examples:
From The Spark Support site: “”…treated me like a good paying customer even after I told him I was a trial user.” Susan Ireland, United Kingdom
Here is the original, from another website “…treated me like a good paying customer even after I told him I was a trial user.” — Gary Watson CompanionLink User
From The Spark Support site: At last I have found a computer engineer who knows what he is doing and talks like a real human being. He also works extremely quickly, is flexible and efficient. And unlike some other companies I’ve used, he actually left my computer better than the way he found it. James Swaddled United Kingdom
Here is the original, from another website At last I have found a computer engineer who knows what he is doing and talks like a real human being. He also works extremely quickly, is flexible and efficient. And unlike some other companies I’ve used, he actually left my computer better than the way he found it.” Michael Swerdlow— Home Computer User
In fact, it seems that all of their testimonials have been copied from other sites.
Glad I found all you guys, I am continually being pestered by these phone calls. One from Sparksupport, others from Global computer and others from so called ‘microsoft’. Had another one yesterday from an indian woman. Couldn’t understand much of what she was saying! How do these people get our phone numbers and know so much about us? Had a friend whose dad was conned by the Spark support scam and lost a lot of money.
All your comments have been really helpful to me.
Thanks so much.
COMMON SENSE PEOPLE if you full for these ridiculous sorts of scams then sham on you. As if Microsoft are going to sort out all the error reports on every p.c or laptop or even send the error reports to a second or third party to fix. Don’t let anyone have control/access to your computer, Don’t give out your bank details, ignore and delete email that sound to good to be true.
COMMON SENSE PEOPLE
Hi, I had this same call last night and tonight. I could not understand the Indian man no matter what I asked; he was trying to get me to type in something in the RUN: box. I didn’t and he hung up on me when I kept asking him to repeat it. Tonight a foreign lady (well, bad English) called and I straight away said my husband works for a computer company (which he does) and didn’t need her help and hung up. I might say worse to the next caller.
Oh, forgot to say I’m in Canberra, Australia.
I just had a weird phone call that just freaked me some guy (indian Decent)who said he was from some computer thecnical place , said I have problem with computer and it is very serious and important that I go sit in front of it and turn it on so he can talk me through fixing it,I said nothing is wrong with my computer and I wasnt going to do this,and he repeated in urgency 3 more times and with my same reply he would not listen to me kept ranting on the importance of him fixing it with me so I just hung up,1 min later he rings back and says mam its really important you do this and then i proceeded to tell him that my mums not here and I wont turn it on and then he hangs up WHAT THE !!!!!My sister said she to hasd a call like this from a indian person saying they were from microsoft and when she told them to send it in writing to her something was wrong he hung up.DODGY!!!!
[...] a call, like this, a couple of times a month, for the last few months, and I understand from keepsafeonthenet.co.uk that this is a scam which attempts to gain control of your (perfectly healthy) computer and charges [...]
I received an e- mail from a sara stating working from homr, it took me a good day to open it, and I responded, this am early 8:00 she had written me and sstated THIS IS A VIRUS!!!!!!!!!!! So I downloaded, to have a full scan done and hers was the only threat, and a Trojan generic2 plus worms and been placed into my computer, thanks to God she was stupid enough to tell me instead of leting it go on and on.
SHe is now trying again. I am protected.. but I feel quite sure I do know who is doing it and from whoms computer. Can you help me stop her? Are these not against.
D>
I have had at least 12 calls from various people, over the last 12 months, the latest a few minutes ago. They give different company names, and try different tactics, either to try to gain control of your computer to do god knows what, or to take you to a website, which looks as if you have viruses, ask for your card details, and clean out your bank account!!!! The latest one was definitely a call centre, be warned this is big business !!! They even threatened to cut off my telephone line.
I have just been scammed by these people calling themselves Microsoft windows support. Exactly the same as above unfortunately I fell for it. They said there was an admin fee of £4.99 so I puy my visa card no in but as I could not see the amount I said I will not go any further until I see £4.99 they then said it was on the next page I said no I will cancel before I could do anything they authorised the payment as they were still in my computer. I immediately rang the bank only to be told they had put through an Alertpay authorisation for £199.99 I asked the bank what I could do they said nothing as I cannot prove anything. I emailed Alertpay.com but so far have heard nothing
I also received a call. The Indian person went on and on about the problem that was on my computer. But when I told him that I did not have a computer he was thrown and became all disjointed and then asked if he had contacted so and so, I told him that he had not then he hung up. I went away killing myself laughing.
Just had a call from these guys – Indian accent, called from a mobile (07990987466), claimed to be from Microsoft Manchester and called Harry, but gave me a London number (02032393430) when I said that I would call them back.
hi my name is %^&* i wanted to share
my experience regarding online tech
support scam originally started of
unethical techie from kolkata india
it spread like fire and unsolicited
calls to numerous residence in australia
u.k.,ireland and new zealand …
i would urge microsoft to look into
it and checkon the following sites
as they have been phishing people
on large number
http://www.pcsupportcaretoday.com,
http://www.24x7pchelp.com
http://www.epclivesolution.com
http://www.technogennie.com
they use various gateway for payments
like paypal,authorize.net,go go pay,
ok pay etc
regards
we keep having these phone calls I like to deal with these as a I do any other unsolicted phone call, if you have the time and a hand free keep them talking for as long as possible, while they are talking to you they are not preying on vunerable people, it also keeps their profit margins down.its great to see how long you can keep the conversation going for.
I have not long had a call from “your computer support company”. I wish I knew who/how these muppets get our details as I am ex directory, dont give out my landline company wise and also am registered to TPS which did help with cold calls.
Trying to get me to get my “computer” so they can sort out the problem. (something to do with emails i think he said) I told them my husband is an IT consultant so I do not believe them and told them I know its a scan. Then he put me onto a recording type machine which was odd so hung up. Did doubt myself for a second afterwards but people like this make me so angry!!!
Please note that this is still happening. My elderly parents were phoned and given the message that their computer was sending error warnings and this needs fixing. Problem is my parents DO NOT have a computer and have never owned one. Needless to say, receiving a call like this is scary to the elderly. These criminals NEVER give up.
Hi. Just had a call from an Indian lady telling me there was something wrong with my computer. As soon as I explained I would be okay because my husband is in IT she hung up. Lol.
I get these calls all the time, sometimes three times a day, occasionally late in the evening! I just hang up (after some abuse) once I establish the call’s not from a family or friend
wipe evry scam scammers’ campaign.
i just had a call this morning from a computer software international – indian man said the company work with microsoft and my pc had been sending error reports and had some thing downloaded that would ruin the computer / harddrive etc. when i persistently queried that they were calling me – i hadnt reported anything and wanted more info he became quite insistant and even read out my name address and phone numbers. he then asked me to allow him remote access to my comp – i said i wasnt happy to do that and hung up – he rung me back – ansaphone picked up and he was quite shirty and very forceful that i needed to pick up and speak to him and shouldnt have hung up etc etc – i can see how easily people would be bullied into this – is there ever a genuine time you would be called out of the blue and told you have a problem they can fix????
I just had a call from India and they said they were Microsoft computer counselling and it had been reported that my computer was running very slow (which it was) and they could fix the problem over the phone. He asked me what browser I used and then to imput another http address which at this point I told him I had no intention of doing this and I hung up. So beware they are still about.
I received a call from an Indian man last week claiming there were problems with my computer that could cause it to crash. I panicked and followed his instructions even making a payment through Worldpay for the problem to be sorted! He gave me a security number and a phone number which is in Ireland. I paid by credit card and the matter is currently being investigated. I still cannot believe I allowed myself to be conned in this way. If you get a call of this nature put the phone down immediately.
With the utterly naive numpties on this thread actually giving out their card details to these scammers, no wonder they continue to annoy those of us in the general public who don’t have straw for brains..
As the saying goes ‘A fool and his money are soon parted’.
You deserve to get scammed with such stupidity.
today i recived a call from this num 09234765437 sayin they where from windows and they had detected errors on my pc after chattin a while then tryin too get the sum ov 300 pounds out off me i told them no these peopl need sortin lucky that me was thinkin this aint right so wiped hard drive has anyone else hurd ov this num
I haven’t done any background research on this for a while. The original website that this post was about has now gone. I started looking into the sites posted by @#$$% on Jan 11. Interesting.
pcsupportcaretoday. com/testimonials.html and support2pc .info/testimmonial .html use the same testimonials. Take a look – the same words, the same photos, but in different order. Different photos beside each testimonial. A sort of “mix and match” of testimonials.
Support2pc is registered to Salman Khan in Kolkata in West Bengal. pcsupportcaretoday.com is registered through a proxy.
technogennie.com and 24x7pchelp.com both use the same comments.
I go a call from an overseas number and caller ID only showed (501) saying i have many computer errors ohh and I’m in NZ btw. I knew it was a scam since they tried it on last time and i didn’t fall for it so i just hung up but this time i played dumb to see how far i could go.
While on the phone to them and they told me there site (support2pc.info)i did a quick domain info search on the site (www.info.info)this told me i where they were registered in Kolkata, Park Circus district.
I told them they were in the location above and He immediately replied “how do you know this?” so it must be a confirmed where they are based.
It’s a big pain these people bothering us and i just feel sorry the poor people who go and buy there FAKE software.
i have just had a call from a company called “call to assist” same indian people trying to convince me that they are raising an awareness on computer scammers ringing up to do the remote access thing from the likes of these people pretending to be microsoft etc etc he made himself out to be their to help avoid it but i also had challenged him to prove his legitimacy he started sketching out wouldnt provide me with all i wanted to know but i had said to him why are you trying to get me to go on to a website for help i know how to protect my own computer etc etc this happens on a weekly bases and man am i sick of it!
oh forgot to mention they reckon they are from the usa yeah right what freaks me out is they know our names and everything how on earth did this happen???