2 agents who claimed to work for Microsoft

Linda Morgan 0 Reputation points
2026-08-12T20:14:59.4333333+00:00

My home computer was hacked and a flashing red notice popped up on my screen telling me to call an 800 number. I called and was told by 2 different men that they worked for Microsoft as cyber security agents. I gave them permission to have remote access to my computer, and they worked 2 days to clear the malware. No issues since then.

Today I get a call from one of these same cyber security agents telling me that my Google account contains pornography. I am a 70-year-old widow who lives alone and do not access any pornography. I saw the number he was calling from, and it is the same number of the Microsoft cyber security agent who helped me with the hacking problem; however, he gave me a different name than what he had previously told me. I have noticed that from time to time someone remotely gets into my screen. How can I verify these men are or indeed cyber security agents of Microsoft?

I documented the names and phone numbers of both men.

If I do not get an answer back from Microsoft, I will report their names and numbers to police.

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Identity Manager
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  1. AI answer

    2026-08-12T20:15:17.1766667+00:00

    No. Those men should not be treated as Microsoft agents.

    Microsoft will never proactively contact someone with unsolicited PC or technical support, and genuine Microsoft error or warning messages never include a phone number to call. A flashing warning that told you to call an 800 number matches a tech support scam pattern.

    The behavior described is also consistent with a scam:

    1. A pop-up displayed a phone number.
    2. The callers claimed to be Microsoft support.
    3. They requested remote access.
    4. One later called again with a different name.
    5. Remote activity is still being noticed on the computer.

    Immediate actions:

    1. Stop all contact with them.
    2. Do not allow any more remote access.
    3. Report the scam to Microsoft at https://www.microsoft.com/reportascam.
    4. If suspicious websites appear in Microsoft Edge, use Settings and More > Help and Feedback > Report unsafe site.
    5. For urgent situations, contact Microsoft Support or Global Customer Service from the official support pages listed below.
    6. Consider notifying local law enforcement.

    If a scary pop-up appears again:

    1. Close the browser immediately. If the mouse does not work, press ALT+F4.
    2. If the browser will not close, restart the computer.
    3. If the browser offers to restore previous pages after restart, select No.

    The key verification rule is simple: unsolicited calls claiming to be Microsoft support are not legitimate. Microsoft does not cold call to say there is a problem with a device or account.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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  2. Erland Sommarskog 137.3K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-08-12T20:26:55.58+00:00

    No, they were not cyber security agents from Microsoft, and whatever they did to your computer, it was not healthy for it.

    I would recommend that you find someone who can help you to reformat the disk and reinstall everything. If you are really lucky, you have an insurance that covers this. (You can at least ask your insurance company.)

    And, yes, reporting to the police is absolutely worth doing. Although both names and numbers may be fake.

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    1 person found this answer helpful.
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