I believe I was scammed today by a PRETEND MICROSOFT SUPPORT PERSON.

NOEL WOODARD 0 Reputation points
2026-08-17T23:57:12.0433333+00:00

An loud alarm went off on my laptop and advised to call 1-888-821-. Said his name was Terry Hunt and called me from 1-901-310- which turned out to be a GOOGLE #?!? Only provided him with known personal info: name, address, cell # (# I called from) and landline # (also known info. Advised him that I did not do any shopping or banking info online at all.

He advised that my cell phone and laptop had been hacked and that 2 purchases were charged this morning at 3:49 am for the insane amounts of $349.10 and $599.99. (I'll check with my financial institutions with another phone.)

Have been a victim of several data breaches, so when he asked me for the name of my Bank, I stopped him. He hung up.

I discoadvised that connected app from the chat windows, closed out all downloads, shut down my computer and restarted same.

WHAT TO DO WHEN AND IF THIS EVER OCCURS AGAIN.? My laptop is less than a year old and I TRUST DEFENDER AND have MC AFEE as a secondary SECURITY MEASURE.

He ADVISED that MY IP ADDRESS WAS LISTED IN 3 STATES: SEATTLE, SAN FRANSCISCO, and DALLAS !T

Thanks!

.

Windows for home | Other | Security and privacy
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  1. Alex-L 11,180 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-08-20T08:58:13.58+00:00

    For privacy and security, please do not post personal information, phone numbers, addresses, banking details, or screenshots containing sensitive information on this public forum.

    Hi NOEL WOODARD

    Based on your description, this sounds like a classic tech support scam. You did the right thing by hanging up and not providing your banking information.

    A few important questions:

    1. Did you allow the caller to remotely access your computer (Quick Assist, AnyDesk, TeamViewer, ScreenConnect, etc.)?
    2. Did you enter any passwords, banking information, credit card details, or verification codes?

    If the answer to either question is yes, I recommend immediately changing your passwords from a trusted device and contacting your bank or credit card provider.

    Even if you did not provide any information, it is still a good idea to run a full Microsoft Defender scan and review recently installed applications for anything unfamiliar.

    Also, claims such as your IP address being "listed in multiple states" are frequently used by scammers to create urgency and are not, by themselves, evidence that your device has been compromised.

    I hope this helps. Please keep us updated on whether remote access was allowed or any credentials were shared so the community can provide more targeted guidance. Stay safe.

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