I just had the freakiest experience. Someone had tried to take over my laptop, but the weird thing is, I let them in.
It all started late last week when I could no longer use Microsoft Word Starter on our laptop. It was a version of Word that keeps prompting you to go and buy the real thing, and after several years, it decided that it was time for me to buy the software. I did. Microsoft Office for Home and Student 2013 was added to our shopping spree over the weekend.
But, alas, the damn Word program keeps crashing as soon as you open an existing document!
So after trawling the online forums and finding mine is not an isolated case, I googled Microsoft support and dialed the number presented for local assistance. I knew I’d be put through a call centre overseas and I was fine with that. Soon an online chat with someone who accessed the computer, began. Finally, the support I needed by a Microsoft tech person. :~)
To cut to the chase, after about half an hour my online assistant pointed out serious problems with my laptop, circling with a big red marker the multiple ‘errors’ caused from supposed suspect downloads. Then came the ‘we can fix your sick laptop for a price’ post which I sensed was coming. See below.
What followed from this point was chaos. I did a screen save and quickly opened Photoshop to save the above image as proof. “Samantha’ was running my mouse around the page from her end to close down Photoshop and stop me from saving this conversation. I shut down the computer as she tried to Cancel the shut down. I restarted my laptop to find the conversation still there, so I quickly saved it then closed her down as she kept trying to control the mouse.
I still have Word software that keeps crashing, but I guess that’s the price with huge US multinationals. There’s no proper support. On another issue I’m still waiting for YouTube to issue me with a new password as I’m locked out. Let’s hope at least one of these issues will soon be resolved.
Blog by Kevin Klehr, author of the Drama Queens novels. READ THE REVIEWS
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