Windows WGA nag screen 10 days to detonation.

[ImnoGuru]

Hello and thank you for reading this.

I have had a nag screen from Microsoft (WGA) about the authenticity of my Windows OFFICE product for some time now, and just close the screen down when I open Word or Excel.

Now the nag screen comes up with a countdown timer, telling me there is only 10 days to go. 

So if I dont authenticate it will they come around to my house and throw a horses head in the bed when I sleep?   




A further development to the nag screen occurred last night, when, in the peace of the evening watching TV, a phone call interrupted me/us.

A (perhaps) Indian accented person on the phone inquired, if I was the person who owned the computer and obviously had this phone number, however he also knew my name.

Claiming to be from Microsoft and requiring me to authenticate my WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM, he claimed that it was out of date/warranty and that I had to follow his procedure to renew the warranty, and went on to tell me to click Start, Run type in.... and then this great long proceedure.

I played along to see how far he would go, telling him, yes I typed that in and so on.
This went on for some 15 minutes of him giving me these instructions, and my responses were getting him a bit frustrated.
I played him out till he cracked and called my computer a heap of S#$T, before telling him to go jump in the lake * perhaps not those words*.

OH before you say it was one of my friends playing a joke on me..... I dont have any friends... at all...  .  Never have... and the ones that were my friends ALL DIED.

My question is then: Does MICROSOFT have MY details, for their call centre to be able to ring me. And if they do, how is it that they can distribute it to a call centre employee like that?
ARE my details really safe?

[Mulreay]

No not at all. The data protection act prohibits the realise and sharing of personal/private infomation. If someone is contacting you by phone then its a load of Tosh and there taking the mick. Microsoft will never call you to update a product it's that simple.

[Mulreay]

ARE my details really safe?

Your details are never truly safe. So we work to minimise the possibility

[Rob Pomeroy]

So if I dont authenticate it will they come around to my house and throw a horses head in the bed when I sleep?  

Yes.  I've actually known them do this.  Don't arouse Bill's anger!

[ImnoGuru]

Thanks Mulreay and Rob Pomeroy for your posts.

I take extraordinary steps to protect my details. These sort of people scare me.
They know my last name and phone number and now the know I have a computer with Windows on it, .... and that I have a phone.

I didn't think MS would have rang. Well, their call center maybe.

So what about in 10 or 9 days from now. Does Windows turn into the smoking recorder from Mission Impossible and destroy everything in a 3 miles radius?

[Mulreay]

By law Microsoft cannot share your info. But even if they could how would they have your phone number? You don't need a phone number to install windows. It must be some crazy, dodgy website.

[ImnoGuru]

Sure thing Mulreay.

Oh I'm sure it's dodgy alright..
Even if it were from a real call center, the operator should have been able to deal with a belligerent customer (such as myself). 

Then again I can be a test I'm told.

[Mulreay]

Lol 

[Rob Pomeroy]

They know my last name and phone number

Directory enquiries?

now the know I have a computer with Windows on it, .... and that I have a phone.

A fairly safe bet for most households, I would have thought!

[patio]

                     


                                       

[BC_Programmer]

next time, when they say to Click "start" say, "is that the little apple in the top left?"

 

[Mulreay]

Sorry Patio that was hilarious. My Girlfriend just asked me why are you laughing at your computer.   

[patio]

He pedals 10 hours a day...

[Helpmeh]

What did you type in the run box anyway, if you go to start > run you can see the last thing you typed in there...pressing down goes back farther.

[ImnoGuru]

Yes Rob Pomeroy, scary aint it.
No seriously he did actually tell me my name. There were just little things he said that made me suspicious. A bit more than just directory assistance .... granted not a lot more.

Patio.... thats him. I'm certain... It sounded just like he looks. What a crack up.

Helpmeh, he wanted me to type cmd into the run box then a string of other things.
Now I dont know a lot about CMD but it sounds as though that might be a command of some sort.

Looks like I'll have to edit the registry to take out the authorization string.
So dont anybody go away on me... I might need some help soon Hahaha.