Reason number 956 to trust Webroot


Greetings to all Webroot members. I recently got my computer back from HP. They had replaced a hard drive that had bitten the dust. Windows went through their updates that were successfully downloaded. The wizards over at Webroot assisted me in installing the toolbar and a few other things. All that happened on 05-08-2017.
 
Here's a short story. I changed my Email password but it didn't take. I Googled Yahoos phone number to ask them why it didn't work and the number I got was 800-675-6486. I called it and a few minutes later was speaking with an individual who informed me that my computer was infected with the Torpig virus. After showing me a bunch of files that had been corrupted he offered to fix everything for $ 199.00. I was warned that all my passwords and information was now in the hands of a hacker. My bank balance could disappear and a hacker could charge on my accounts.
 
Then it dawned on me that maybe my computer was not really at risk and this person was leading me on.
 
I decided to contact Webroot and Josh answered the call. ( Ive spoken to him in the past ) He did some checking and told me that....... NO my computer was not infected...... NO, Yahoo doesn't even have a Phone Number for support...... YES, the person I spoke with was only interested in taking $ 199.00 to fix something that wasn't even broken...... YES,the person I spoke with was great at making it sound that my computer was infected and that they are good at convincing people of the immediate computers Doom and Gloom.
 
Moral of my story ( which I should have known ) If you have a question;TRUST Webroot, not a third party.
The folks at Webroot are understanding, polite and "splain " things in a down to Earth manner.
Thanks Josh for putting me at ease AND thanks to all Webroot Community moderators and members for all your help/advice.
 
Oh, and to all you third party scammers. May a billion fleas inhibit your arm pits and remain there forever.

11 replies

I was thinking lower. 😉
Userlevel 7
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Hi Robert,
 
Why Thank you for telling us your story. I hope others will read and learn from this. So many scammers out there looking for a buck.
 
Thank goodness you did the right thing and called Webroot's direct support line.  It's sad to think how many people will Google/ Yahoo or whatever for Webroot's  support phone number and get this fraudulent number just to be scammed. 😞
Hi Sherry, I was looking for the phone number for Yahoo, not the Webroot phone number  which I already had. It was Josh who pointed out to me that Yahoo has NO direct telephone number whatsoever for customer service. The number I though was the direct Yahoo number, AND the one I called was 1-800- 675-6486.
 
Beware....that number has nothing to do with Yahoo, its the number for the third party crooks that wanted to take my $$$. The company that they said could " fix " my computer is called Octa Tech Solutions.
 
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Well that was a BIG oopsie! Sorry about that Robert. I read your post twice and I still misread it. Thank you for explaining to me... ;) 
I will certainly forgive you for your BIG oopsie if you send me $99.99.:D
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ wrote:
I will certainly forgive you for your BIG oopsie if you send me $99.99.:D
ROFLMHO @ The check is in the mail! :D
Great story, Robert. Thanks for sharing!
 
As Sherry says: "So many scammers out there looking for a buck". I hope, in the area of computer security, I've become wise enough to avoid being scammed (though as they say, pride comes before a fall :(). However, in another area I won't elaborate on as I'm too ashamed to (the expression "extremely naive" would by no means be inappropriate), I was properly taken for a ride. Happily, I was able to cut my losses at just under €50. However the experience taught me that I too can be all too easily taken for a ride.
 
Your moral: Don't trust a third party (or indeed, anyone on the web who claims to be able to protect your computers against Gloom and Doom, help make you a fortune, resolve all your sexual problems etc.etc — for the first, better go to your local computer shop [though it is true, when you have a Webroot subscription, their free Support is even better in this kind of situation, judging from your and from other subscribers' testimonies], for the third, better visit your local doctor LOL, as for the second, I'm frankly not sure who you can trust!!), is most apposite.
 
And for anyone who's interested, here's my all-time favourite video of someone stringing along a scammer for about 1½ hours by feigning the role of a dumb sucker, ripe for the hustle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ4FytaF99Q. His performance well and truly deserves an Oscar!
Userlevel 7
This is just....

That is exactly and precisely how I felt after talking with Josh. Thanks for the chuckle JP.
Robert .... Thanks for that enjoyable rendition of Scammers.  I get a call from them about every 60 days.  They present themselves as Microsoft Technicians from the security division.  You have been infested with a root file virus - Torpig that neither Karpersky nor Webroot will defend against.  I've been asking of for the correct spelling of their names, employee numbers, and their supervisors name.  I get their supposed telephone number and tell them that I will call them back once my meeting is over.  I then send this data to my State Attorney General and FBI.  Then I call them back and inform them they have been reported to the appropriate bodies of investigation.   I hope they soon learn to avoid my number.
Oh yeah ... don't let them have remote access to your computer.  Who knows when they'll try again.  When they do just hang up on them.   
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