www.helppconline.com SCAM?!?!?!

Maydot

Scamsmacker wrote: »

Yesterday, I received my usual telephone call from Helppconline requesting permission to remotely conduct their monthly health check for viruses etc on my home computer.

I granted my permission online via the desktop icon where Sharon, followed by Steve confirmed they would conduct the check remotely. For the first time, I then received another telephone call from another individual purporting to be from Helppconline, an Indian lady vehemently warning me that my system's files were in fact being attacked by a hacker; I was shocked, she then brought my attention to a code beginning with the digits: 888, as evidence of this hacking;

I was then passed onto her supervisor, an Indian man who harassed me over details regarding how much I paid for the service in the first place. He was very insistent; I couldn't remember at that moment in time, but protested saying that this was all very odd ! In the course of the conversation, he asked me to to switch off my computer even though it was clearly being worked on by Sharon/Steve to whom I had granted remote access; I explained as such, but he told me again to switch off the computer and so I did. I then asked him if I should switch the computer back on again; he said yes.

The moment my home screen reappeared, I saw a new message from Steve asking me to leave the computer on for 15 minutes so that he could complete the checks and so I did.

I was left feeling extremely unsettled; it was though these two Indian individuals were either trying to muscle in on Sharon/Steve's task and/or make me believe that my computer files were being hacked ?! When the computer check was complete, I saw that no virus' had been found and all seemed to be in order.

As ever, after a monthly check, there was a customer feedback report form for me to complete; I tried to write all the above, but the text wasn't accepted for the inclusion of quotation marks. I tried to log back in through PC helponline's desktop icon to request a further customer report to complete; another individual was about to start a new PC healthcheck; I clearly typed in the conversation box that I did not want them to proceed, they did not have my authority and I stated that I believed the whole thing to be a scam.

So I then accessed the main website for Helppconline and detailed the above in their contact message box; importantly, I asked for a refund of the original sum paid to give them a chance to settle matters before my taking matters further;

I paid a total of £443.07, 22nd October, 2011 as a one-off payment for what was supposed to be a 5 year contract for monthly PC healthcare. An extortionate sum that I regret having paid !

Yesterday afternoon, I received another home telephone call; the voice seemed to the same as the previous Indian man; he confirmed that he had read my message sent to Helppconline; I stopped him from pursuing the conversation unless he could confirm whether or not he would offer me a full or part refund. He confirmed that he would not offer my any refund so I told him that we thus had no further matters to discuss and that any further communication should be conducted by email. He has since tried to call me three further times. Yesterday afternoon again, and twice today. There has been no conversation. This is further harassment. He left a message after the final call saying that he was calling in response to an error message that he had received from my computer.

Whenever, I access the internet on my home computer, I need to go through two screens, the first always involves my sending an error message to internet explorer which this Indian man clearly intercepts.

This morning, I went in person to my local bank branch, as the extortionate payment was made by direct debit card payment over the telephone; i was immediately put on the telephone to their Special Investigations Dept and reported all of the above, my card has now been cancelled and I am following the fraud analyst's advice.

I am typing this from my home computer after having checked that it is completely virus free. Immediately after having received that first telephone call from that Indian man yesterday, I googled Helppconline ltd only to find that so many other people have also found them to be a scam. UNTIL YESTERDAY, I HADN'T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA THAT THEY MIGHT BE SUCH A SCAM;

I feel such a fool for having granted remote access to my computer thus allowing helppconline to potentially steal my identity; at least I have wasted no time in reporting this.

I have no further information to add, but that the first contact I had from Helppconline was after their receiving error messages which I had generated online and which I believed were being received by legitimate individuals working for internet explorer/microsoft rather than being intercepted by this Indian man who then follows this up with a home phone call with such timing that it is easy to think it is legitimate.

Have broken the wall of text up to make a little more readable as this appears to be a new twist.... The scammers are claiming they are being hacked :eek: ?

Can I suggest you post on the "Techie" forum - they will guide you through steps to check your pc for any hidden "nasties". Alternatively try this guide in same forum https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2436849

You need to remove all traces of these scammers from your pc, what's sad is that your pc was never infected in the first place and these people really have no way of knowing if it is or not - they prey on the unwary and, as in your case (£443.07), are probably making a comfortable living from doing so.

syy73

I was on the phone to helppconline and followed his instructions...Being told there's thousands of critical errors on your computer, by an indian man, sounding very far away....opens up your vulnerability? Or do you find a:money: forum with LOTS of helpful "others" telling you to put the phone down!! Well, I took a little bit of everyone's advise, by letting him :cool:talk and;) talk and :ptalk, then when it came to putting me through to his advisor, he then advised me, that it would cost me £109.99!!!:eek: After I pleaded poverty and told him I had £3 in my purse, my children were'nt going to get any Xmas presents this year.....and that he told me it was free and he should register me for free!!!!!! :rotfl:He was getting REALLY annoyed with me!!:mad: The calmer I spoke the more aggitated:eek: he became....he'd "wasted" all this time and energy talking me "into" his scam......THEN he had the cheek..:j..to HANG UP ON ME!!!!:rotfl: Oh how I laughed!!! :rotfl:Talk can be cheap afterall!!! :T

keyser666

Slight fascination with smileys I see

Johnnyone

Had great fun with these guys today. Got a call this morning that went through the usual rigmarole of their company being alerted by my Pc that it was full of 'fatal errors', so I faked a bit of horror and asked what I should do. As he started explaining about the event viewer program in Windows I helpfully suggested that with 'windows being a bit rubbish anyway' the event viewer log is full of innocuous error reports that need no action. He wasn't having that and suggested that my computer would be dead within a week...

I asked him how my computer could have alerted his company and he said it was from activity on my IP address, though he couldn't explain how my IP address was linked to my phone number (it isn't of course and not even linked to my home address - except via your Internet Provider). Ignoring that, he tried to explain his legitimacy by suggesting that Microsoft had contracted out its error reporting service to his company for them to follow up and repair (don't think so guys!). I said again that they could not have found my phone number from my IP address and I was at a loss to understand how they had got it and did use a special program? He said he would ask a supervisor but I stopped him and said they might be using that new software called S-C-A-M, which targets gullible people and persuades them to hand over their credit card details and that he should maybe Google it sometime. It took him a good few seconds to catch on at which point he said that he'd call me back in a week when my computer had died... Bless...

SAVIE_SAVER_44

I just spent 10 minutes on the phone with these SCAMMERS!!!
I got their phone no. 08082802518. He was reluctant to give!
A load of B***S*** about receiving reports about my PC Windows being infected with errors ect.
I asked his name "Eric Wilson" yeah right - I'm in N.Ireland so he used a local name! And him ringing from India!!!
Their website pchelponline - don't even chance going near it - if you do don't click on anything on it!
I told him I was reporting him to the Police & that I knew he was a scammer - it didn't even phase him!!! He insisted he was genuine.
I got a similar call about 6mths ago - when i asked phone no ect they hung up - so they are getting bolder now!
His uncertainty about his company's phone no. & web address was a giveaway to even the most naive of us - please don't be fooled - Nobody is going to phone you & offer you services for nothing - if your PC is playing up get someone you thrust to fix it - DON'T give anybody external access to your computer. DON'T let them talk you through how to fix a problem with your computer in-front of you - one click & they could be accessing all your log in details from your BANK - email - Facebook ect :A

SAVIE_SAVER_44

I would also like to thank everybody who take the time to post about these criminals - the first thing i do if uncertain about anything is Google!
The more we talk up and tell others the wiser we will become about these shameful individuals.
We're not all up to date with all the computer lingo but we can share our experience & knowledge - Thanks :A

Don't let anyone talk you through how to repair your PC over the phone with your PC in front of you - they are guiding you to give them access to your computer - then they steal your bank details ect.
They basically spy on you every time you go online!

dalepearson

This is an old post but thought this might be worth sharing with the forum.
I recently had a call from a similar group of scammers, I setup a scenario to see what it is they try to do.

I recorded the audio and video and posted it on my blog here -

http://www.subliminalhacking.net/2013/11/20/wasting-time-with-the-pc-wizard-scammers-fixing-the-problems-you-never-knew-you-had/

Hope it helps.