Management Learning Laboratories – Impostor

Victim Location 15601

Type of a scam Tech Support

I could not send or receive emails with my AOL account, so I looked up and found under AOL "can’t send/receive emails". I called the number 800-489-0039 and an Indian speaking person (Shawn Phillips) came on and told me that he needed remote access, which I granted. This was not AOL! He said I was hacked by someone from Canada. He also stated that I only had anti-virus and did not have a fire wall set up on my computer. He connected me to another person (Sam Singh), he showed me various prices and recommend a 5 year plan for $1099 and did not want a credit card, but pressured me into writing a check right there and then and sending him a scam of it. I could not mail it as he wanted as it was Saturday evening. I was to put it in the mail Monday Morning. Then they ran a program on my computer for about a half hour and installed some clean up ICons. I was connected back the original person and he showed me the icons he installed and said he could not fix my email problems until the check came. I slept on this and figured this might be a scam. I called Microsoft and they said this was indeed a scam and not to send the check. They cleaned up what was put on my computer and told me I already had a firewall and they fixed my email. They also said the cleanup and other Icons installed were very cheap to get if not free and I did not need them. Somehow I had a double verification code in my computer for my emails and that is why I could not connect. On Monday I called my bank and was told this for sure sounded like a scam. Even though I did not send my check I was worried that they now had my account and routing number. The bank wanted me to get a new account, cancelling my old one. I told them that this would be too complicated with my social securety, health insurance payments and many other online accounts. So they put an alert on my account for "Management Learning Laboratories" for any activities unauthorized. I am still to keep an eye o my account. When I called the number given above, I got an answering machine that sounded like "Jaianna Services" (sp?). I did not leave a message. When they finally called back on a Thursday and asked if I still wanted my email fixed, I told them that I called Microsoft and this was a fraud and I already had a fire wall on my computer. They connected me to another person and I said the same, they then hung up. I still have to keep a close eye on my account, but learned a valuable lesson. First make sure the he email in the add reflects the companies real name in the address. Call someone like Microsoft to make sure of things. If it seems odd, for instance scanning a check, it is and is a sign of fraud. If it seems outlandishly expenses it should be a flag. I am hoping that my checking account is not compromised and that no one else falls for this.