Edward Ganny's Blog

We’re all familiar with how telemarketers occasionally interrupt our lives, often at the most inopportune times. However, even more upsetting is receiving an unexpected phone call claiming that your PC has been infected with viruses and can be cleaned only for a hefty fee. What’s worse is that the caller is almost certainly a fake — a bad guy who pretends to work for Microsoft or one of our partners.

Sound familiar? This tech scam follows a well-known pattern. A phone call comes in from a blocked or international number, and the caller urgently claims to be a Microsoft-certified tech agent who has detected viruses or malware on your Windows PC that must be fixed right away. These callers use scare tactics such as telling you to check your Event Viewer to reveal a bunch of “errors” or even ask to take over your PC remotely to reveal more so-called problems. And, inevitably, they demand payment via credit card or online payment system, usually to the tune of several hundred dollars, to clean your PC. If you resist, they often get angry or even threaten to destroy data on your computer.

What’s really alarming is that this type of scam shows no signs of slowing down. Increasingly, we hear via our front-line support team, and even from friends and family, that these scammers are getting bolder, targeting not only individuals but also businesses. It is appalling that they’re taking advantage of your trust in Microsoft in an attempt to steal your money. It’s immoral, it’s disrespectful and it’s certainly illegal.

What can you do to protect yourself? To start, check out our Web article on how to avoid tech support phone scams. (My personal favorite is simple: Just hang up the phone.) Second, report it. Tell the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the anti-fraud organization for your country. We’ve got a few links below to get you started:

- The Microsoft Safety & Security Center is a hub of information and resources dedicated to helping keep your PC safe from threats, including viruses, malware and phishing attempts.
- Help Microsoft stop cybercriminals by reporting information about your phone scam.
- The FTC Phone Scam webpage has a phone scam reporting hotline and useful advice on what to look out for when receiving unsolicited phone calls.
- In Canada, the Anti-Fraud Centre can provide support.
- In the U.K., you can report fraud as well as cold calls.

Whenever you receive a call or a pop-up on your PC and feel uncertain whether it is from someone at Microsoft, don’t take the risk. Reach out directly to one of our tech support experts dedicated to helping you at the Microsoft Answer Desk, or simply call us at 1-800-426-9400 or one of our customer service phone numbers for people located around the world. We know how disconcerting it feels to be targeted by scammers, and we want to help.

At least 20 engineers from different municipal departments have quit in past one year.

Greater scrutiny on BMC officials following a series of scams has triggered an exodus of municipal engineers, who are looking for 'safer jobs'.

At least 20 engineers from different BMC divisions have quit or taken voluntary retirement in the past one year. Two executive engineers with the scam-hit stormwater drains department — Pradeep Jaswani and Rajesh Nagrale — put in their papers earlier this month.

The department is under a cloud over Rs 150-crore desilting scam, which forced top officials to suspend 11 engineers, including chief engineer (vigilance) Uday Murudkar, for allegedly certifying bogus documents provided by contractors.

The BMC's roads department is under scanner over a scam in which contractors used substandard material to build or repair thoroughfares. The racket, which runs into several crores, led to suspension of chief engineer (roads) Ashok Pawar.

Around 100 engineers are currently facing inquiries in various scams, and the scrutiny has spooked others. "There is no point in continuing in the BMC. Even if we are clean, there is no guarantee that we will not face a probe," a senior engineer who resigned recently said. "Once an inquiry starts, our reputation is tarnished. It is better to quit and join the private sector, where there is less pressure."

Some engineers quit after 20 years of service in the municipal corporation. They have cited stress and a fear of being falsely implicated in cases as the main reason for leaving. Some junior BMC engineers, who have similar concerns, have turned down promotion to departments that were once most sought after by civic employees.

Some former BMC engineers are now working private developers, while others have joined consultancy firms. "Top officials take all the policy decisions, but we have to face the brunt when a scam comes to light. If there is any problem, we are suspended," said a former engineer with the storm water drains department.

"We have no powers but are held responsible for everything."

A recent BMC circular asked all engineers to make a note of all calls and recommendations they gets from "unconnected parties" about approving or vetoing any development work. Another circular asked engineers with the building proposal department to put on record every redevelopment request.

More than a dozen engineers with the building proposal department and the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) are facing scrutiny after BJP legislator Ameet Satam alleged corruption in the two divisions.

It's not just the fear of prosecution; employees in departments that oversee construction of roads and other public infrastructure have also cited threat of violence for quitting. In February, junior engineer Hemant Chandane was beaten up by a local Shiv Sena activist.

The BMC Engineers' Union blamed the highhanded attitude of senior officials for the exodus. "Whenever there is a building collapse or a scam, engineers' role comes under the scan first. They are made scapegoats even before an inquiry is ordered," said Sainath Rajadhyaksha, the union's general secretary. "Engineers only execute orders. IAS officers take all the decisions."

THE SCAMS THAT STUNG THE CIVIC ENGINEERS

The desilting scam

The Rs 150 scam was discovered after the June 19, 2015 deluge washed away the BMC's rain-ready claims. Twenty-four contractors were booked, and 11 engineers, including Chief Engineer (Vigilance) Uday Murudkar, were suspended. Close to 80 engineers are facing departmental enquiry.

The roads repair scam

Once again, Uday Murudkar's name cropped up along with another chief engineer, Ashok Pawar. A BMC probe also nailed six contractors. With 227 roads under probe, close to 100 engineers could face departmental enquiry.

The building proposal scam

Following allegations of graft by BJP legislator Ameet Satam, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a probe against officials from the BMC's Building Proposals Department. The probe is on against 26 officials, including a few engineers. Rajeev Kukunoor, Sanjay Mahale, Sandip Gaiwal, Shantilal Tank, and Ketan Doshi are among the engineers who are under the scanner.

Woo Sports, the Boston-based maker of technology that tracks statistics for kiteboard and snowboard enthusiasts, has raised $2.7 million in new funding, according to a Monday regulatory filing.

About 70 undisclosed investors were listed on the regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

According to the filings, this is the first major outside investment the company has received to date.

The startup is an alum of the 2014 startup accelerator program Techstars Boston and offers a motion sensor device and app that allows users to track their athletic performance and compete with others.

Founded by European entrepreneur Leo Koenig in 2013, Woo Sports has garnered interest from companies such as Burton Snowboards and Red Bull.

Woody Benson, a Boston-based venture capitalist at Prism VentureWorks, is listed on the filing.

A request for comment was not immediately returned.