How to Spot and Stop Phone Scams Pretending to Be Microsoft or BT

Just yesterday a customer walked up to the bench, phone pressed to his ear, looking worried because a man claiming to be from Microsoft said his laptop needed an urgent fix. Scammers love to masquerade as big brands – they know the panic they can cause, and the moment you hand over a few quid or remote access, they’re in business. That’s why recognising the tricks matters for every home and small‑business user. Myth 1: If the caller uses a “official” number, they must be genuine What we hear a lot is “the number started with 0800, so it’s Microsoft”. In reality, spoofing services let anyone display any prefix they like, even the exact numbers used by genuine support lines. The only way to verify is to hang up and call the official number yourself – for Microsoft, dial 0800 026 0320; for BT, use 0800 800 150. What to do instead: Never trust the displayed caller ID – treat every unsolicited call as suspect. End the call, look up the official contact details on the company’s website, and call back. If you’re unsure, ask a colleague or check our cyber security page for guidance. Myth 2: Letting them remote into my PC is harmless if they say it’s “just a quick check” Scammers often ask for remote‑desktop access, claiming they need to “fix” a virus. The truth is, once they’re in, they can copy files, install ransomware or even change your passwords. We see this a lot – a user watches the remote session and the screen suddenly shows their desktop being mirrored elsewhere. What to do