Possible Scam Alert - for people with Serial Numbers Invalid

Report · Feb 23, 2016

I just received an email request from supposedly this form to communicate with me via Skype. It looked legit as it had Adobe logos and were calling themselves Help and Support, etc. Anyway, the bottom line is that after getting my Adobe ID and pswd and email they told me that they could sell me a copy of Adobe XI Pro for $150.00 (discounted $449.00US because I have a older version of Adobe no longer supported) but I would need to send CASH thru Western Union to the India Center Manager. So, is it a scam? Here is a transcript of the Skype messaging. (note: I have removed my personal info for safety sake). Hope no one else gets hooked by this.

Copy of email that I received

Re: Adobe.Robert Selden has sent you a message - Invalid SN when Installing Acrobat 8

Adobe.Robert Selden (forums_noreply@adobe.com)

Add to contacts

3:55 PM

To: SRD

Show this message...

From:

Adobe.Robert Selden (forums_noreply@adobe.com)

Sent:

Tue 2/23/16 3:55 PM

To:

SRD (xxxxxx@hotmail.com)

we send once again or send us at adobesystems_24x7

Continue the conversation by replying to this email, or going to the direct message on Adobe Community

Transcript of Skype Chat

[3:49:38 PM] *** SRD would like to add you on Skype (here is the name they used: adobesystems_24x7)

Hi Help And Support, I'd like to add you as a contact. ***

[3:50:00 PM] *** Help And Support has shared contact details with SRD. ***

[3:50:14 PM] Help And Support: hi

[3:50:19 PM] Help And Support: how we can help you today?

[3:50:34 PM] SRD: Received an email to continue conversation regarding Serial Number Invalid via this medium

[3:51:01 PM] Help And Support: we certainly help you to get issue resolved

[3:51:10 PM] Help And Support: provide your adobe id and password so we can check?

[3:51:42 PM] SRD: Adobe ID: xx-xx-xxxx (?) Pswd: xxxxxxxxxx

[3:52:13 PM] Help And Support: may I know your register email id with adobe

[3:52:13 PM] Help And Support: ?

[3:52:19 PM] SRD: why

[3:52:44 PM] SRD: I just want to make sure you're who you say you are. This is kinda personal info.

[3:53:00 PM] Help And Support: email id is not personal information

[3:53:06 PM] SRD: OK

[3:53:10 PM] SRD: xxxxxx@hotmail.com

[3:53:14 PM] Help And Support: stay online

[3:53:42 PM] SRD: why could you not contact me through a regular chat and not skype

[3:54:18 PM] Help And Support: regular chat only available for CC 2016 products

[3:54:42 PM] SRD: ok

[3:54:50 PM] SRD: so can you help me?

[3:55:14 PM] Help And Support: currently you are using windows or mac?

[3:55:20 PM] SRD: windows

[3:55:28 PM] Help And Support: its windows 10?

[3:55:32 PM] SRD: no

[3:55:36 PM] SRD: 7

[3:55:38 PM] Help And Support: or 8 or 7

[3:55:39 PM] Help And Support: ok

[3:57:09 PM] Help And Support: we like to inform you Acrobat 8 is to old software and no more available for activation might be you aware after Acrobat 11 pro adobe move to CC 2016 products and our perpetual license team move to India so support for Acrobat XI pro available for life long.

so we can do is we provide you the XI pro so you can start your work In a proper way

[3:57:44 PM] SRD: which would require a monthly fee

[3:58:22 PM] Help And Support: no it will cost you 1 off payment and valid for life long and you will also get the discount because you already using our older version of the software

[3:58:33 PM] SRD: How much

[3:59:16 PM] Help And Support: actual cost for acrobat XI pro are $449.99 USD but you will get after all the discount it will be $150 so you have to pay just $150 and Acrobat XI pro is yours for life long

[3:59:51 PM] SRD: I will never have this serial number issue again?

[4:00:04 PM] Help And Support: no we provide the support for that

[4:00:21 PM] Help And Support: downloading, installation and activation

[4:00:44 PM] SRD: Is there anyway I can get a disk for installation?

[4:01:00 PM] Help And Support: no only downloads are available

[4:01:30 PM] SRD: Will I have any problems installing XI on any new laptops I purchase?

[4:01:49 PM] Help And Support: no you can easily install or else we will help you again

[4:02:55 PM] SRD: OK. forever right?

[4:03:04 PM] Help And Support: yes forever

[4:03:24 PM] SRD: How do you suggest we do this transaction?

[4:04:00 PM] Help And Support: we have to generate the invoice first so provide your full name, email id , phone number, address and area postal code?

[4:04:35 PM] SRD: Well I need to do this from an Adobe website to ensure that this is an official download and not a scam.

[4:05:25 PM] Help And Support: download done by adobe website and payment done by cash western union to our india center manager

[4:05:36 PM] SRD: No go.

[4:05:37 PM] Help And Support: first we send you the invoice via email

[4:06:05 PM] SRD: You got to be kidding me. Cash to your India Center Manager. I wasn't born yesterday asshat

[4:06:24 PM] Help And Support: its upto you then

[4:06:35 PM] Help And Support: buy from amazon or ebay online

[4:07:41 PM] SRD: No shit. If you were official there is NO WAY you would be telling me to buy from Amazon or eBay. I will be reporting this scam to Adobe.

[4:08:04 PM] Help And Support: bye

Report · Feb 23, 2016

THIS IS DEFINITELY A SCAM!

The following message is posted on many of the Adobe forums:

* * *

We have received a number of reports where some members of this community are posing as Adobe Employees by offering to help troubleshoot issues personally using technologies such as Skype as a means to gain access to your computer and potentially your personal information. All Adobe employees are required to have an orange ‘STAFF’ badge next to their user profile which can be seen if you mouse-over their profile picture.

Report · Feb 23, 2016

Reported... the next time an employee reads the report message that user will be deactivated

Report · Feb 24, 2016

Make sure you change your password in all of your email, bank, web-site, etc. accounts, especially if you're using one that's the same or similar to the one you have set up for adobe.com. They'll probably try logging in to your accounts and get sensitive or financial information from them.