14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has made a big deal about the free Windows 10 upgrade available for users of Windows 7 and 8.1, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is aware they can install the new operating system without paying for it.
And that’s how a New York company called iYogi and offering tech support actually tried to make a fortune out of Windows 10, as it sold the free upgrade for $80 (€70) to a number of customers.
The Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit against the company, explaining that they violated Washington state’s Consumer Protection Act and the Computer Spyware Act, GeekWire writes.
Microsoft applauds the lawsuit
Specifically, iYogi acted almost just like any other tech support scammer out there, and when contacted by customers, their staff claimed to represent companies such as Microsoft, Apple, and HP. After establishing a remote connection to users’ computers, the tech support employees tried to convince their victims that their PCs were infected, and professional malware cleaning and other optimizations were needed, obviously available for a price.
A five-year subscription was offered for $379 (€350), according to lawsuit documents.
But in addition to all the cleaning, iYogi also offered to upgrade the computer to Windows 10, a process that was available free of charge but that the company only performed in exchange for a $80 (€70) fee.
“iYogi also states the consumer needs to update to the Windows 10 operating system, or the computer will be harmed, which it will not. iYogi uses this scare tactic to coerce the consumer into buying Windows 10 for $80, even though Microsoft offers the upgrade for free,” the court documents show.
Microsoft is obviously very happy with the lawsuit and applauds the effort, especially because its name is very often used in tech support scams across the world.
“We applaud the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for its efforts to protect consumers from tech support scams that have reached epidemic levels in recent years,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft’s President and Chief Legal Officer.
“Over the past 18 months alone, Microsoft has received more than 180,000 customer calls regarding tech support fraud. Today’s announcement is an important step toward addressing this issue, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable segments of our society.”