Debbie Snapp, Greene Publishing, Inc.
Early morning phone calls have been coming in lately (5 to 7 a.m.) from Minnesota number (320) 582-9749, supposedly representing Microsoft Windows. These are scam calls and should not be answered.
The caller (males and females, usually with a foreign accent) advise the receiver that they are with technical support and they have noticed your computer has a virus, or malware, when in reality they are attempting to install malware onto your computer.
Again, do not pickup the phone. If your phone has the feature to block calls, do so. Let the call go over to your answering machine or to voicemail. They won't even leave you a message. Your phone may read unknown or call from MN. Whatever it reads, if you do not recognize the number, don't answer your phone.
This number has been reported as a scam hundreds of times, with most calls occurring early in the day or late in the afternoon, probably due to time zone confusion.
When the number is called back, the recording says: “The number you dialed is not a working number.”
Scammers can not connect to your computer without your permission. Never follow their instructions. These calls are always scams.
If you receive a call like this one, contact local authorities. Your call will help authorities learn more about the scam and they will be more able to raise awareness. Always report unwanted calls.