Microsoft is a global company and, as a global company, it does many things. But there are also many things that Microsoft never does. Microsoft never sends unsolicited emails with attached security updates, never makes unsolicited phone calls requesting credit card details and no one from ‘Microsoft Tech Support’ will ever call you to fix your computer.

“Cybercriminals often use the names of well-known companies, like ours, in their scams thinking it will convince you to give them money or your personal financial information,” explains Jacqueline Harvey, OEM Manager from Microsoft Malta. “While they usually use email to trick you, they sometimes use the telephone, instead. Moreover, it is definitely not in Microsoft’s style to send an email telling you that you have won the Microsoft Lottery! Or that Microsoft “requires credit card information to validate your copy of Windows.”

“If you think you’re going to be next hoax victim, knowing all this should certainly help you avoid such dangerous hoaxes. Therefore, there is only one thing that you can do whenever you receive an unsolicited email message or phone call that purports to be from Microsoft and requests that you send personal information or click links: delete the message or hang up the phone,” added Ms Harvey.

Microsoft customers are often targets of a scam that uses email messages to falsely promise money. Victims receive messages claiming “You have won the Microsoft Lottery!” There is no Microsoft lottery so just delete the message. And if you have lost money to this scam, report it. You can also send the police report to Microsoft. Microsoft is well equipped to assist law enforcement institutions follow up such incidents and bring such criminals to justice.

Such incidents are becoming quite regular in Malta. Microsoft Malta is aware of a seemingly ongoing scam whereby local individuals have been receiving a number of international phone calls from callers identifying themselves as Microsoft representatives calling from a ‘Microsoft Windows 7 Security Centre’ to rectify Internet problems with individual customers. These unknown callers inform the individual that their computer might be at risk and that they are in a position to run some diagnostics tests only after they purchase software to protect their machines, in which case the unknown callers are asking individuals for their personal Credit Card details. This is an outright and harmful scam.

Microsoft never runs any form of diagnostics tests over the phone and never seeks to sell any of its products to individual customers over the phone. What Microsoft does though is that it offers home or small business PC users a free solution to guard themselves against viruses, spyware, and other evil software available at www.microsoft.com/securityessentials

Another important fact that computer users should know is that legitimate communications do not include software updates as attachments. “Microsoft never attaches software updates to its security communications. Rather, we refer customers to our website for complete information about the software update or security incident. And the information we provide about security updates is all found on our websites,” noted Ms Harvey.

“Microsoft is constantly active in investigating and taking action against any form of fraud when found, including taking legal action where necessary. As such, Microsoft Malta urges the public to never give sensitive information such as personal details and credit card details over the phone and any individuals who experience a similar incident are urged to report it immediately to the respective authorities. In the case of any contact from third parties claiming to be representing Microsoft, the public is encouraged to contact the local Microsoft office to confirm the validity of any such situations,” concluded Ms Harvey.

How to

report a scam

• You can use Microsoft tools to report a suspected scam.

• Internet Explorer. While you are on a suspicious site, click the Safety button or menu in Internet Explorer 8 and point to SmartScreen Filter. Then click Report Unsafe Website and use the web page that is displayed to report the website.

• Hotmail. If you receive a suspicious email message that asks for personal information, click the check box next to the message in your Hotmail inbox. Click Mark as and then point to Phishing scam.

• Microsoft Office Outlook. Attach the suspicious email message to a new email message and forward it to [email protected]. To learn how to attach an email message to an email message, see Attach a file or other item to an email message.

• You can also download the Microsoft Junk E-mail Reporting Add-in for Microsoft Office Outlook.