MS... blocked from "community" for not giving cell number

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  1. Posts : 74
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
       #1

    MS... blocked from "community" for not giving cell number


    MS "community" for cell phone users only?
    or those willing to give 24 hour a day access to MS

    after something like.. 20 years of using the MS discussion boards... they froze my account/outlook and will not say why, vague hints of it being hacked but... nothing definite

    they say I have to have a cell phone to "verify" my account... it won't, they say use a friend phone number... LOL

    after a month of wasted time
    with reps who really don't seem to know what they are doing

    told
    "you refused to fill out the form to reclaim your account"
    I did
    "you didn't give us your last email address"
    I did and... that is different from "you refused to fill out the form to reclaim...."
    I filled the form out but many of the questions did not apply to my use

    then they want a credit card number for an "easier" shopping experience?

    friends have told me they are receiving both calls and texts saying from "MS" trying to sell them some service or offer help with their computers for a large fee.... said, over seas, poor English
    said... MS says it is not them calling but the callers have personal and software info

    so... no cell phone number I can (or want to) give to MS
    I'm blocked from the big sharing teaching/learning/loving community?

    with the exploitation of personal information
    I suspect more people will refuse to give personal information
    especially if the information is not protected...
    and, some do not have cell phones

    it seems insane....
    no way past the poor English incompetent "support"?



    though... I may find I no longer need the MS "community"
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  2. Posts : 3,487
    Win 7 Pro x64/Win 10 Pro x64 dual boot
       #2

    pleiades357 said:
    friends have told me they are receiving both calls and texts saying from "MS" trying to sell them some service or offer help with their computers for a large fee.... said, over seas, poor English
    said... MS says it is not them calling but the callers have personal and software info
    This is a known scam, whether they have information or not. Apparently I have all sorts of things on my computer, but I have never in my life registered anything with MS. How do they even know my name?

    They are not MS, they have no valid information. They are phishing, hoping that you will be silly enough to let them into your computer so they can break it and hold you to ransom.

    I've never been asked for a cell phone number by Microsoft, nor a credit card. No matter how many times I've had to reset my account. I somehow doubt that you are really talking to Microsoft.
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  3. Posts : 1,384
    Win 7 Ult 64-bit
       #3

    But I've had Google ask for my cell #, "In case you lose your password." But they don't insist; I can do Gmail anyway.

    pleiades357--I get the phone scams too, although I'm not at the MS forum. The 2 aren't connected. I say "I don't have a computer," and they don't call back.

    There are plenty other forums that deal with Windows and MS products, aside from this one. I've been at www.discussions.virtualdr.com almost 20 years.

    Or try out a few of these to see which ones you like:

    https://next.duckduckgo.com/?q=micro...ms&t=hb&ia=web
    Last edited by RoWin7; 15 Aug 2017 at 20:08.
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  4. Posts : 2,047
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-BIT
       #4

    That's an obvious scam. Why would they ask your phone number and block you from the community if there are others way of reaching you? (Not by coming to you, course.).
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 31,242
    Windows 11 Pro x64 [Latest Release and Release Preview]
       #5

    You would be surprised at how many of the users who come here for advice are also members of the Microsoft forums, or even employees of Microsoft, even the help desk
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 74
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Mellon Head said:
    This is a known scam, whether they have information or not. Apparently I have all sorts of things on my computer, but I have never in my life registered anything with MS. How do they even know my name?

    They are not MS, they have no valid information. They are phishing, hoping that you will be silly enough to let them into your computer so they can break it and hold you to ransom.

    I've never been asked for a cell phone number by Microsoft, nor a credit card. No matter how many times I've had to reset my account. I somehow doubt that you are really talking to Microsoft.
    **********
    we've all had the cold calls... this is something different

    this is on the MS site... the request for cell phone number was made
    """""What do you need to do?
    We'll send a verification code to your phone. After you enter the code, you can sign in.""""
    I don't have a cell phone number to give them
    the form sent to reclaim the account requests a phone number also

    this is what friends are talking about.... several have said the were told their account was suspended... then the "MS" phone calls started after giving their number for the "verify" call

    some used all the accounts to send out junk messages?
    or it is a ploy to get cell numbers
    and if it is not MS, then someone has access to knowing what MS services these people have


    though the bottom line is... MS is not protecting the accounts
    if they are being "hacked" at such a rate
    and MS will not provide support through the "community" (and they supply very little support, to many links for instruction are not functioning) to those who do not have a cell phone...
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 74
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #7

    RoWin7 said:
    But I've had Google ask for my cell #, "In case you lose your password." But they don't insist; I can do Gmail anyway.

    pleiades357--I get the phone scams too, although I'm not at the MS forum. The 2 aren't connected. I say "I don't have a computer," and they don't call back.

    There are plenty other forums that deal with Windows and MS products, aside from this one. I've been at www.discussions.virtualdr.com almost 20 years.

    Or try out a few of these to see which ones you like:

    https://next.duckduckgo.com/?q=micro...ms&t=hb&ia=web

    thank you, I've realized... there are other forums... many better ;-)
    so, in the long run... it was a good thing

    thank you for the recommendation
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 74
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Barman58 said:
    You would be surprised at how many of the users who come here for advice are also members of the Microsoft forums, or even employees of Microsoft, even the help desk

    would not be surprised
    I've often been surprised at lack of help from MS
    and the wrong advice... my last, a problem with.... I don't remember what... had several posts from someone insisting I could not be running Windows 7.... I must be confused about my OS.... or responses so far beyond my skill level, it was useless and poked fun at for not being more skilled
    sigh

    nice to find this site
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,384
    Win 7 Ult 64-bit
       #9

    pleiades357 said:
    would not be surprised
    I've often been surprised at lack of help from MS
    and the wrong advice... my last, a problem with.... I don't remember what... had several posts from someone insisting I could not be running Windows 7.... I must be confused about my OS.... or responses so far beyond my skill level, it was useless and poked fun at for not being more skilled
    sigh

    nice to find this site
    Like most forums, the majority of the people who post there are not working for the software company, and maybe none. You'll get trolls and flamers too. At one forum I used, the mods had a thread right out in the open where they ridiculed users. I left after a few months.

    One more thing: another useful and reliable site is BleepingComputer.com
    Last edited by RoWin7; 15 Aug 2017 at 20:30.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 74
    Windows 7 Home Premium x64
    Thread Starter
       #10

    RoWin7 said:
    Like most forums, the majority of the people who post there are not working for the software company, and maybe none. You'll get trolls and flamers. At one forum I used, the mods had a thread right out in the open where they ridiculed users. I left after a few months.

    One more thing: another useful and reliable site is BleepingComputer.com - News, Reviews, and Technical Support.
    as a somewhat experienced amateur (amazing, when you don't have spare cash... what you can learn to do yourself (like build furniture), and... ripped off by the first three "computer repair" shops.... one charged me three times to reinstall the OS (my weekend spend reinstalling the rest) when the problem was not a "software conflict" or virus....but an old and damaged RAM card in the computer he'd built for me, discovered by advice from my brother and help from an Acronis tech when Acronis wold not install... hours of moving the cards and running some kind of "test")

    one of my illusions is the concept the software companies want the users to learn and be happy with the software...
    I'd thought the problem was contempt for my lack of knowledge...
    still no reason to be nasty, but..... nasty is more stylish than it used to be
    I don't know enough to tell if the responses I don't understand are incomprehensible becasue they are incomprehensible, or due to my lack of knowledge...

    "ridiculed users" amazing.....
    thanks for the recommendation.... I want to learn more, fascinating as well as useful
      My Computer


 
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