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GURUAID - X-POST
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David.WE.Roberts
May 1, 2013, 9:01:01 AM5/1/13
to
Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
to her PC.
Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to fix
problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the list
than support.microsoft.com.
Cheers
Dave R
A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
to her PC.
Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to fix
problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the list
than support.microsoft.com.
Cheers
Dave R
Martin Brown
May 1, 2013, 9:18:04 AM5/1/13
to
On 01/05/2013 14:01, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>
> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
Did they use Bing as a search engine by any chance?
> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>
> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
>
> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
>
> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
> to her PC.
>
> Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to fix
> problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
>
> So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
No. But guruaid appear to have paid to come top of the search listings
> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
>
> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
> to her PC.
>
> Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to fix
> problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
>
> So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
and have a cleverly designed web page that displays brilliantly in the
search summaries adverts at the top (well above the legitimate MS page).
You could easily think it had answered your question perfectly.
>
> Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the list
> than support.microsoft.com.
>
> Cheers
>
> Dave R
>
The latter. It also works on Bling too. If you didn't any know better
> Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the list
> than support.microsoft.com.
>
> Cheers
>
> Dave R
>
you could easily fall for it and get suitably overcharged. They are in
the zone tastefully marked in palest pastel background as "Ads" above
the genuine Microsoft support site (about four of them in total).
--
Regards,
Martin Brown
SteveH
May 1, 2013, 9:26:24 AM5/1/13
to
David.WE.Roberts formulated on Wednesday :
Its an ad that appears above the legit MS link in a Google search.
I would think they're surely scammers, as my Bitdefender AV won't even
let me go to the website. But what they appear to have done in case
they do get blocked is set up another one called 'techvedic' which I
suspect will be just as bad.
--
SteveH
I would think they're surely scammers, as my Bitdefender AV won't even
let me go to the website. But what they appear to have done in case
they do get blocked is set up another one called 'techvedic' which I
suspect will be just as bad.
--
SteveH
David.WE.Roberts
May 1, 2013, 9:28:18 AM5/1/13
to
As an advert, adblock plus probably ditched it.
Cheers
Dave R
Man at B&Q
May 1, 2013, 10:24:19 AM5/1/13
to
routed?
Whose number did she actually dial?
MBQ
Martin Brown
May 1, 2013, 10:34:38 AM5/1/13
to
summary analysis appears prominently at the top of the search result.
--
Regards,
Martin Brown
Man at B&Q
May 1, 2013, 11:35:06 AM5/1/13
to
On 1 May, 15:34, Martin Brown <|||newspam...@nezumi.demon.co.uk>
wrote:
Yes, in which case "tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with
this company" and "calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID"
should really be "rang some random number that appeared in a google
result" rather than going to the Microsoft website and looking for
their contact details.
Some people just should not be let loose on the Internet.
MBQ
wrote:
this company" and "calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID"
should really be "rang some random number that appeared in a google
result" rather than going to the Microsoft website and looking for
their contact details.
Some people just should not be let loose on the Internet.
MBQ
David.WE.Roberts
May 1, 2013, 3:08:53 PM5/1/13
to
Thank you for your insightful and caring response.
I was trying to check if she did actually ring a Microsoft support number
and get re-routed, or if she rang a number she thought was a Microsoft
number but which in fact wasn't.
The first option seemed possible since I Googled Microsoft support and
came straight up with support.microsoft.com in the first 4 or 5 hits.
However it turns out that the offending Google results were adverts, so it
is likely that my browser blocked them whereas hers did not.
Judging by searches, a lot of people have fallen for this one.
Anyway, it looks as though they are commercial vultures not malware
scammers.
Cheers
Dave R
Andy Burns
May 1, 2013, 3:16:16 PM5/1/13
to
David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>
> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
> to her PC.
Are you sure they didn't phone her, rather than she phoned them?
> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>
> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this company.
> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely connect
> to her PC.
David.WE.Roberts
May 1, 2013, 4:18:25 PM5/1/13
to
Martin Brown
May 1, 2013, 4:31:55 PM5/1/13
to
On 01/05/2013 20:08, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> On Wed, 01 May 2013 08:35:06 -0700, Man at B&Q wrote:
>
>> On 1 May, 15:34, Martin Brown <|||newspam...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 01/05/2013 15:24, Man at B&Q wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 1 May, 14:01, "David.WE.Roberts" <nos...@nospam.net> wrote:
>>>>> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>>>
>>>>> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this
>>>>> company.
>>>
>>>>> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
>>>
>>>>> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely
>>>>> connect to her PC.
>>>
>>>>> Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to
>>>>> fix problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
>>>
>>>>> So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
>>>
>>>>> Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the
>>>>> list than support.microsoft.com.
>>>
>>>> What relevance is a google ranking to whether a phone call is re-
>>>> routed?
>>>
>>>> Whose number did she actually dial?
>>>
>>>> MBQ
>>>
>>> Probably their number which by a very cunning piece of search engine
>>> summary analysis appears prominently at the top of the search result.
>>
> On Wed, 01 May 2013 08:35:06 -0700, Man at B&Q wrote:
>
>> On 1 May, 15:34, Martin Brown <|||newspam...@nezumi.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 01/05/2013 15:24, Man at B&Q wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 1 May, 14:01, "David.WE.Roberts" <nos...@nospam.net> wrote:
>>>>> Has anyone had any dealings with GURUAID?
>>>
>>>>> A friend tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with this
>>>>> company.
>>>
>>>>> They tried to sell he support services, and she declined.
>>>
>>>>> However, believing that they were MS she allowed them to remotely
>>>>> connect to her PC.
>>>
>>>>> Google suggests lots of complaints about the charges and failure to
>>>>> fix problems but not so far about putting malware on the computer.
>>>
>>>>> So - do calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID?
>>>
>>>>> Or is this just a Google ranking thing where they get further up the
>>>>> list than support.microsoft.com.
>>>
>>>> What relevance is a google ranking to whether a phone call is re-
>>>> routed?
>>>
>>>> Whose number did she actually dial?
>>>
>>>> MBQ
>>>
>>> Probably their number which by a very cunning piece of search engine
>>> summary analysis appears prominently at the top of the search result.
>>
>> Yes, in which case "tried to ring Microsoft Support and ended up with
>> this company" and "calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID"
>> should really be "rang some random number that appeared in a google
>> result" rather than going to the Microsoft website and looking for their
>> contact details.
>>
>> Some people just should not be let loose on the Internet.
>
> Sigh!
>
> Thank you for your insightful and caring response.
>
> I was trying to check if she did actually ring a Microsoft support number
> and get re-routed, or if she rang a number she thought was a Microsoft
> number but which in fact wasn't.
Can't you look at her browser log and phone records?
>> this company" and "calls to Microsoft Support get routed to GURUAID"
>> should really be "rang some random number that appeared in a google
>> result" rather than going to the Microsoft website and looking for their
>> contact details.
>>
>> Some people just should not be let loose on the Internet.
>
> Sigh!
>
> Thank you for your insightful and caring response.
>
> I was trying to check if she did actually ring a Microsoft support number
> and get re-routed, or if she rang a number she thought was a Microsoft
> number but which in fact wasn't.
> The first option seemed possible since I Googled Microsoft support and
> came straight up with support.microsoft.com in the first 4 or 5 hits.
>
> However it turns out that the offending Google results were adverts, so it
> is likely that my browser blocked them whereas hers did not.
(for any sensible set of search terms)
However the first four or so hits with adverts permitted are all
parasitic rip-you-off big time sites and other scammers. Increasingly
the top half page of any web search with adverts allowed I would not
touch with a barge pole. It is probably high time that a UK consumer
program hauled Google and Bling over the coals about this. YMMV
Same happened with sales of Olympics tickets and other long lead time
events. Joe Public cannot understand that the green lock *ONLY* means
that the data you transfer is safe from eavesdroppers and does not mean
that the destination is legitimate. All it really means is that they
have paid their dues to Verisign or similar and have a valid security
certificate that checks out (costs at most a few thousand dollars).
I have known legitimate sites cock it up and have invalid ones too :(
> Judging by searches, a lot of people have fallen for this one.
>
> Anyway, it looks as though they are commercial vultures not malware
> scammers.
Google/Bling handsomely to usurp and pass off their site as being
Microsoft UK support in the number one position at top of page.
The page is also very cunningly designed to summarise in a way that
makes it look like it is giving you the UK Microsoft freephone no.
Considering how litigious MS have been in the past about M&S selling
"Microsoft" ladies tights one can only assume that as they do not
complain vociferously about this clear case of passing off a site as
"Microsoft Support UK" that they are taking a share of the profits.
Cross post added to uk.legal for additional input.
Try a search for UK Microsoft Support (adverts enabled)
But don't visit the site unless you have a very robust sandbox.
--
Regards,
Martin Brown
tim......
May 1, 2013, 5:07:42 PM5/1/13
to
"Andy Burns" <usenet....@adslpipe.co.uk> wrote in message
news:womdnTT4Ffdj9BzM...@brightview.co.uk...
800 number for microsofthelp-number.guruaid.co.uk/ shown as part of the
search result
third in the list is the genuine MS support web page which you have to click
on and drill down to the right page to get the number that you require
>
>
Andy Burns
May 1, 2013, 5:14:02 PM5/1/13
to
tim...... wrote:
> type "Microsoft support number" into Google and the first link down is an
> 800 number for microsofthelp-number.guruaid.co.uk/ shown as part of the
> search result
Without adblock, yes.
> type "Microsoft support number" into Google and the first link down is an
> 800 number for microsofthelp-number.guruaid.co.uk/ shown as part of the
> search result
Sounds like another little job for the O/P to help the friend in future ...
Andy Burns
May 1, 2013, 5:17:55 PM5/1/13
to
your friend about the scam? The guruaid website only looks marginally
less hooky than the scammers ...
David.WE.Roberts
May 2, 2013, 3:40:33 AM5/2/13
to
The I frightened here with warnings about scammers ringing claiming to be
Microsoft.
Worked through the Google results for the site she found and it looked as
though it was sharp business practice not malware related.
So she knows.
She isn't soft by any means, just not clued into the finer points of
browsers and adverts.
As with many, she is perhaps a little too trusting of Google searches.
[Aside - I am using Pan newsreader and it always underlines Google as mis-
spelled. I add Google to the dictionary but next time it is underlined in
red again. Some coder somewhere with a bit of censorship code? Or just a
'feature'?]
Cheers
Dave R
Andy Champ
May 2, 2013, 4:41:21 AM5/2/13
to
On 01/05/2013 20:08, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> I was trying to check if she did actually ring a Microsoft support number
> and get re-routed, or if she rang a number she thought was a Microsoft
> number but which in fact wasn't.
>
> The first option seemed possible since I Googled Microsoft support and
> came straight up with support.microsoft.com in the first 4 or 5 hits.
>
> However it turns out that the offending Google results were adverts, so it
> is likely that my browser blocked them whereas hers did not.
I get techvedic in an advert first as the only advert, then MS under
> and get re-routed, or if she rang a number she thought was a Microsoft
> number but which in fact wasn't.
>
> The first option seemed possible since I Googled Microsoft support and
> came straight up with support.microsoft.com in the first 4 or 5 hits.
>
> However it turns out that the offending Google results were adverts, so it
> is likely that my browser blocked them whereas hers did not.
firefox. Under IE I get two adverts before MS.
Andy
Daniel James
May 2, 2013, 7:05:00 AM5/2/13
to
In article <aud7i5...@mid.individual.net>, David.WE.Roberts wrote:
> Anyway, it looks as though they are commercial vultures not malware
> scammers.
Thank heavens for small mercies!
> Anyway, it looks as though they are commercial vultures not malware
> scammers.
It's a sign of the times that the real Microsoft support people hide
their phone number in the hope of getting people who need support (free
support, which you get for a few nanoseconds with newly-installed MS
products) to use EMail or forums or some other relatively cheap to
manage support channel, while the scammers slam their premium-rate
number right in your face so you'll call them first and give them the
chance to squeeze even more money out of you while providing no useful
support at all.
Not that support from Microsoft themselves is usually any better ...
Cheers,
Daniel.
Bob Eager
May 2, 2013, 7:29:59 AM5/2/13
to
0.135
--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
My posts (including this one) are my copyright and if @diy_forums on
Twitter wish to tweet them they can pay me £30 a post
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor
pensive hamster
May 2, 2013, 8:16:46 AM5/2/13
to
On May 1, 9:31 pm, Martin Brown <|||newspam...@nezumi.demon.co.uk>
wrote:
[...]
I Googled "Microsoft Support UK" (with the quote marks) and got these
3 ads:
====== start copy and paste ======
Ads related to "Microsoft Support UK"
Microsoft Support UK 0800 056 2909
microsoft-support.guruaid.co.uk/
Support for Microsoft UK Customer Call GuruAid Expert @
0800-056-2909
Microsoft UK Help Desk - (Toll Free) 0800-056-2909
Microsoft Support UK - inbay.co.uk
www.inbay.co.uk/Computer_Support
Instant, Quick fixes Online 24/7. No Fix, No Fee For Only £29.99.
Ask Microsoft Support Now - Microsoft.JustAnswer.com
microsoft.justanswer.com/
Tech Support Will Answer You Now! Questions Answered Every 9
Seconds.
Tech Support Specialist - Computer Technician - Electronics
Technician
====== end copy and paste ======
They might be legitimate companies, but they look like scams to me.
And a number of the following results looked pretty dodgy too. None
of them appeared to link to an actual Microsoft site. And there were
three more ads at the bottom of the page.
I can imagine my grannie, or other naive computer users, might follow
the above links, so I am suprised nobody seems to have chased them for
passing off, or other infringements. And it does suggest a possible
method of distributing malware, though I am not suggesting any of the
above companies have actually deliberately done so.
wrote:
[...]
3 ads:
====== start copy and paste ======
Ads related to "Microsoft Support UK"
Microsoft Support UK 0800 056 2909
microsoft-support.guruaid.co.uk/
Support for Microsoft UK Customer Call GuruAid Expert @
0800-056-2909
Microsoft UK Help Desk - (Toll Free) 0800-056-2909
Microsoft Support UK - inbay.co.uk
www.inbay.co.uk/Computer_Support
Instant, Quick fixes Online 24/7. No Fix, No Fee For Only £29.99.
Ask Microsoft Support Now - Microsoft.JustAnswer.com
microsoft.justanswer.com/
Tech Support Will Answer You Now! Questions Answered Every 9
Seconds.
Tech Support Specialist - Computer Technician - Electronics
Technician
====== end copy and paste ======
They might be legitimate companies, but they look like scams to me.
And a number of the following results looked pretty dodgy too. None
of them appeared to link to an actual Microsoft site. And there were
three more ads at the bottom of the page.
I can imagine my grannie, or other naive computer users, might follow
the above links, so I am suprised nobody seems to have chased them for
passing off, or other infringements. And it does suggest a possible
method of distributing malware, though I am not suggesting any of the
above companies have actually deliberately done so.
The Other Mike
May 3, 2013, 8:07:00 AM5/3/13
to
On Wed, 01 May 2013 21:31:55 +0100, Martin Brown
<|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Try a search for UK Microsoft Support (adverts enabled)
>But don't visit the site unless you have a very robust sandbox.
Christ on a bike, it's been that long since I've seen adverts the only way I
<|||newspam|||@nezumi.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>Try a search for UK Microsoft Support (adverts enabled)
>But don't visit the site unless you have a very robust sandbox.
could get to see what you are on about was to use Safari on a windows box!
Very easy to see how someone could get scammed by these adverts
--
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