SCAM ALERT: Microsoft compensation scam

Action Fraud and the National Trading Standards eCrime Team (NTSeCT) are warning consumers about emails from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) offering compensation for the Microsoft Scam.

These emails are fakes. Neither the ACCC nor NTSeCT would contact you by email and ask for your personal details.

The emails are designed to steal your personal information, and some may ask for an up-front fee in return for advancing your compensation.

Don’t reply to the email and never pay any upfront fees if asked for them.

The stories concern the conviction of Mohammed Khalid Jamil, who in March of 2014 received a suspended jail sentence of 4 months, was fined £5000, and paid compensation to 41 victims for unfair trading by allowing his staff to make false claims regarding computer support services.

Any emails offering compensation, asking for a fee, or for personal information that comes from a government department or agency are scams and should be ignored.

Jamil’s company falsely claimed to be working for Microsoft. A Microsoft spokesman later confirmed that his company were not a registered Microsoft partner, and should not charge people for Microsoft products.

It is a common tactic of scammers to use the names of big brands or official government departments to dupe consumers into thinking they work for them or or that they represent authority. They also often use news reports about past cases to con victims in thinking that compensation is available.

The Microsoft scam is a form of computer software service fraud.