Helppconline.com - is it a scam?

Davie_Kerr

If it's of any help to anyone, I too have had contact from this company and I too was suspicious, and gave them no details. The bloke who contacted me (who gave his very British name as Alistair Cook, but who spoke with a pronounced Indian-sub-continental accent!) gave me a company address in Leicester. I passed the details to Leicester Police, and they confirm that that company does operate from that address and has done since last year, but they have no first-hand knowledge of the legitimacy or otherwise of that company.

Jemma-T

Why are people talking to complete strangers over the phone?

Wouldn't let in your house would you? Hmm.

HiltonOwen

Im registered with Telephone Preferences but these guys aren't covered. This was my fight back method after a series of these calls. I feigned concern and listened for a couple of minutes and then said there was someone at the door. I got on with what I was doing for 10 minutes or so picked up the phone again and then repeated the same thing I was surprised there was still someone holding on another 10 mins later it turned out to be Peter who had taken over from the first guy. I asked him how he knew I has a computer and that it has a problem and how had he got my number. He gave me a story about the links they had with the phone companies. After he had assured me for the third time that my computer definitely had a problem I told him it couldn't be true because I don't have one. (I have Apple Mac ) I felt quite sorry for the guy but pleased that while they were hanging on my phone they weren't bothering someone else who might believe them. In the process of the conversation I got their website and phone details and will report them to trading standards.

macman

TPS has no jurisdiction outside the UK, nor does Trading Standards, so don't waste your time reporting them.

justsylvia

I too was contacted by Jason from helppconline.com, and took me through different screens on my computer, saying I needed help, it seemed ok until he mentioned I needed to pay £99.99, that made me wary so said couldn't pay right then as i was waiting for a new card, he then provided me with details of a hsbc bank account to go and pay money into, and he would hold the screen till i got back from bank, I contacted AOL they told me to close computer down as he lied saying it was part of AOL.
As I am 71 yrs young it gave me quite a shock I can tell you. I am now wary of using my computer. The address he gave me was in Leicester.

macman

It's your phone you need to be wary of using, not your computer! If they have installed remote access software on your PC then you need to remove it, probably most easily done by doing a System Restore.
Why would a complete stranger offer help for free, and how could he know that you needed it?
He was not in Leciester and his name was not Jason...

Stabilo69

I have been contacted today and my experience was verysimilar to that of MoneySaving Convert. I was asked to run “eventvwr” and given the company number of 07390129 to look up on the Companies House website when I queried the legitimacy. The registered address is Crawley but the caller said he was from Leicester. On looking at the event log, there were indeed thousands of entries, including a number for today’s date. He said that my system was corrupted and, as an authorised government-approved Microsoft agent, I needed to install a tool (quoting something like a MS tool version 6) which would remove the problem. He said my PCwas registering this corruption many times and that this was using up disks pace of which I was unaware. He said that McAfee anti-virus software would not pick this up as the problem was on my pc. I thought that this was nonsense! He went on to say that with this tool, I would not need AV software. This made me even more suspicious. He stated that the corruption was linked to my IP address and that eventually my PC would stop working; furthermore, that as I was affecting other PCs on the network, Microsoft would have to close me down. I said that I had Windows Update automatically turned on, that Microsoft know my email address and so why hadn’t the updates sorted the problem; or MS written to me? He said that MS never contacted the customerdirectly. I knew this to be untrue as MS do contact me.

He knew my surname, telephone number and post code but got my first name wrong, making some excuse about a clerical error.

We have been plagued by texts and unsolicited calls about mis-selling of PPI and my first reaction was that the call was “one of them”. However his opening gambit was part-convincing and had me worried.

He then got quite aggressive and called me - and I quote - “inhuman”. He accused me of wasting an hour of his time(true as I was part playing him along). He said “do I want to proceed or not?” I said I wanted to think about it and get advice and suggested that he call me in a few days; at which point he got very angry and I put the phone down.

Be assured that I did not agree to any software installationor give other than very vague detail about event log events but am now worried about this event log business. Cananyone help?

brewerdave

@ Stabilo69 -Don't worry - Its quite normal to have multiple entries in event vwr - they just use it to frighten you into giving them card details and install remote s/ware - now if I answer a call of this nature my line is " this call has been transferred to the South Wales Police Serious Fraud office, the call is being traced ..how did you obtain this number??...." instant end to call!!!!

macman

Your name, address and postcode are easily available from the electoral roll and many other sources. A cold caller knowing that information does not make them genuine.
Microsoft do not know your email address unless you have registered something with them, nor anything else about you or your PC.
However, the scammer got something right when he told you that McAfee would not pick up this 'virus'. Get rid of it and use a decent free AV progam: Avira, Avast or MSE.

Stabilo69

Thanks a lot; very reassuring. The total tally in my event viewer is over 11,000 entries; but across 3-4 years. Is this normal? I know that eventually one normally has to "clean" Windows by reinstalling. Perhaps this is why?

These guys are on LinkedIn which makes them seem respectable. Is there any way we can get them struck off and that they should also loose their Companies House registration? One assumes that the answer could be not unless they are successfully prosecuted.