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The original was posted on /r/microsoft by /u/Thurston_Unger on 2024-09-20 17:22:05+00:00.

I was defrauded after following a link for discounts in the Microsoft Weather app built in to W10.

The link I followed from Weather led to a food network offer for free Omaha Steaks. I filled it in, added my CC for shipping, and it said my card was declined. Then I looked up at the URL and was mortified that I, a savvy dude, have become elderly and fallen for a stupid scam. Mortifying.

I went to straight to chase.com and disabled the card. 10 minutes later I get a text from Chase asking if I had made a $5 purchase at kids toys world…

I got in touch with Microsoft to tell them this, figuring it would alarm them. Instead I chatted with a CS who said that Microsoft is not responsible for those ads, and I should not click on them. The ads in the weather widget built-in to the OS…

I expressed my concern that other doofuses like me will be scammed via ads on their product. She suggested I submit a suggestion for the developers and gave me contact info for them.

The responses were just gobsmacking. Basically: our product can be dangerous, so you have to be careful.

I get online ad serving, I worked in that field for a few years. Third party ad servers can do whatever they want. It’s up to their clients to accept that or not. If it were my company I would want to be assured the ads I’m serving my precious customers aren’t fraudulent and illegal. Instead, MS suggests we be careful while using their OS as some ads may be fraudulent.