Use spybot search & destroy (and update it regularly) and an anti virus software (I am using Microsoft Security Essentials) and you're good.

Just make sure you don't give out any personal info when they call, this is what they'll be after.

Is that exactly what he said? Because we had that a few months ago.

Try http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispyware.html as well as Malware bytes one suggested by Sophi. These are the best two trusted recent ones I've used since moving on from adaware and ss&d.

Thanks Soph and N... Mal/Spyware is something I dont take seriously enough... I knew about sbybot but i'll give the others a shot, thx

Yeah the caller literally didnt know my name just opened with the line 'Hello Sir, we are aware of malicious software on your computer, if you do not address this it will deteriorate day by day..' -Just not what you want to wake up to really

He didnt get much else out as I started to ask a bunch of questions... even lying and saying I had 2 partitions up and which O.S. he thought was affected... I think that was when he hung up and told me to fix it myself...

Am almost hoping he calls back now- trying to think of something really techie to ask him

Malwarebytes is awesome. Saved me from a virus that didn't allow NOD 32 to update.

They guys are just playing the numbers game, because eventually they will get through to someone with little enough knowledge about this stuff to beleive what they say and part with money.

Disgusting really but that's people for ya.

There's a known scam which is allegedly based out of Kolkata, India. The numbers are reputed to come from caller lists obtained from call centres out there - how they get them is anyones guess but it's probably either legit contact lists or dodgy 'sold information' of the sort most companies tell you they don't do.. and which are then stolen by call centre workers.

The guy calls you up, persuades you he's from a Microsoft Trusted Partner and they've had an alert that you've got a virus. He gets you to give him enough information from your PC and then remote controls it. At that point I can't quite remember the scam, but I think he installs something which tells him/you that there's a problem but he can only fix it if you pay for it.

The stupid, unwitting, vulnerable, old or luddites among his victims will cough up. Most people just won't let him get access..

Microsoft have come out and said he's no partner of theirs and that they or their affiliates will never make unsolicited calls of that sort.

Even if it's not this exact one it's going to be similar. There are probably dozens of copycats by now.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/bl ... ndia-scams
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/security/35 ... phone-scam
http://www.walletpop.co.uk/2010/07/20/i ... irus-scam/