They're at it again!

[JohnN]

I just had a phone call (5.00pm on a Tuesday) from an Indian-sounding gentleman who asked for me by name. There were a lot of other Indian-sounding gentlemen talking away in the background, too. I asked who it was who wanted to speak to him and he reeled off a name which I didn't catch (haven't got the hearing aids in) and said he was phoning from some company or other, "computer and technology department" and he was ringing because he was most concerned about a message he had received from my computer...

At that, I said I would go and see if I could find 'him' and put the phone down. :leaving:
He wasn't there when I picked it up again a few minutes later.


Some people have no patience! :shocked:

[deeree]

I've recently had this one too, and so's my husband. I acted stupid, (wasn't hard), and played along for quite some time. Once they had my agreement that I'd follow their advice to find the dastardly virus that they'd detected on my computer, I was escalated to the senior dastardly-virus-finding-and-eliminating guru. After a lot of inability on my part to find the "start' button in the left hand corner, I said I'd get my husband to help. When I came back to the phone after a minute or two, I told him perhaps he was under the impression that my computer was a PC, whereas, it's an Apple. Phone went dead! Does anyone know what their intentions are? Are they looking for information, planting a worm, or what?

[Procat]

Looking for credit card details they can use, possible plant a real virus, plant a program that can find your banking details and passwords or just charge you a lot of money to remove something that is not there.

At any rate, never give them anything except a lack of satisfaction because you did not fall for it.

[Sandyhall]

They haven't learnet yet have they these spammers Keep them talking they are paying for calling you !!!!
But never give them any personal details. See how long you can waste their time lol.

I had another one last night oh dear my computer is up stairs and my phone is downstairs, how are we going to do this, no I don't have a mobile, no I don't have a hands free, I know, you tell me what to do I'll write it all down then i'll go upstairs and do it. OK, so he tells me what to do, do they think I am that stupid. I then start with my questions how do you know all this, are you conected to my computer then, well you must be bla, bla, bla.

How I keep a strait face and do not laugh I don't know, 25 mims I kept him on the phone waisting his time lol

[MarkJ]

Does anyone know what their intentions are? Are they looking for information, planting a worm, or what?

If this is the usual scam, they will get you to open the Windows Event Viewer. That is going to have various errors listed (it always does - which is why they pick that particular program) which, they will claim, proves that your PC is riddled with all sorts of nasties.
Once you accept that you have a nasty dose of some imagined virus or trojan etc, they direct you to a website to download a "tool" to allow them to "fix" your PC. This is where the problem starts - because this "tool" is going to hand control of your PC to them. In the basic scam, they will fiddle about for a while - and you will see the cursor moving around and stuff being opened and closed etc - then demand a lot of cash for "fixing" your computer. However, the same trick can be used to install all sorts of nasties - whatever the scum want to do, because they have full access to your PC.

The simple fact is that Microsoft will never ever call you unless you have specifically instigated a question with them at their tech support place. Think about it - a company which has its operating system installed on 90% of the worlds computers are not going to be checking each of them in some altruistic move!
In the near future, I would expect to see similar scams claiming to be from your ISP/PC World/Currys etc etc.

In a way, it is quite a clever trick - they use social engineering to convince you that they are an official outfit, use a program which is built into Windows to "prove" your PC is infested (they also ask if your PC is running slow etc - which they do at times and once it is suggested, then we all think "..yes, it does seem slower...". Then they make you install a trojan onto your machine!
Once they have that on your machine, they can do anything - literally - it is as though they are sat in front of it with full admin rights.

[Dorset Girl]

. When I came back to the phone after a minute or two, I told him perhaps he was under the impression that my computer was a PC, whereas, it's an Apple. Phone went dead!

I did the same - and it was so much fun! In fact I was looking forward to their next phone call but they must be getting wise to the stalling tactics - I started off on the "I'm sorry I can't hear you very well - can you repeat that" - and the phone went dead!! Spoilt my fun for the day!

[spison]

I'm afraid I was hopeless at keeping them talking when they rang after a terribly hectic couple of days.

I tried...I truly tried but I ended up just yelling something to the effect. "Look mate I know this is a scam. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND DON'T CALL AGAIN." And hung up. I'm a hopeless failure at subterfuge when I'm stressed!

Jane

[Neil Wilson]

Wonder what the response would be if you said 'this call is being traced by the police in connection with operation scam'?

[Pat S]

I ended up just yelling something to the effect. "Look mate I know this is a scam. JUST LEAVE ME ALONE AND DON'T CALL AGAIN." And hung up.


Yep, that's my response.

Pat

[Richard1955]

Can't everyone just get an air horn and blast them down the phone.
That will stop it, I'm sure.

[Mutley]

A really loud old fashioned police whistle is also fun to use.
Blow the scum away just as hard as you can blow.
A certain amount of physical satisfaction is gained from that excercise.:lol:

[JohnN]

But then there's the danger that they might get a whistle or air horn and use it next time they phone! Or are scammers too nice to do a thing like that?

[bibliojunkie]

Some years ago we were the target of nuisance and obscene calls although we had an ex-directory number. The police advised having a whistle to hand. I used it on one occasion and there were no further calls. :thumbsup:

I’ve not had the computer scam (yet) but did receive a call last week from a chap asking me about my accident. He insisted he had the correct telephone number but could not tell me what it was ‘for security reasons’ and he did not have my name because ‘I only have the file number.’ When told I had not had an accident he insisted that I had. Just before I put the phone down on him, I heard him say ‘surely you’ve had an accident in the last two years?’

Ali

[raineshoe]

Can't everyone just get an air horn and blast them down the phone.
That will stop it, I'm sure.

That's what a copper told me to do once. Said to try a personal attack alarm and that down a phone at close quarters would have a desired result. Excellent!!!

[Ultramum]

Can't everyone just get an air horn and blast them down the phone.
That will stop it, I'm sure.

I have used a playground whistle - took three calls being answered by a whistle blast but they stopped :) Thank the Lord for caller display!

[Nannas]

Hi,
For Australians you can register with the Aust. Communications and Media Authority to be placed on a DO NOT CALL LIST.
You can register home/business and mobile phone numbers (takes upto 30days to reach all call centres)

Nannas

[Squaredancer]

The trouble with registering is that it only stops calls from organisations in your own country - we're on the Telephone Preference Service here in the UK but it can't stop calls from abroad. :frown2:

However when a very obviously Asian voice comes on the phone and says "Hello, my name is Kevin" we know to put the phone down! :biggrin:

[stepives]

I keep them on the phone for as long as I can, while I eat my lunch or dinner etc. After 30-40 minutes, I just say no thank you, and I don't care what accent their voice is, and hang up.

I did once get a call from a double glazing company, and I kept him going for nearly an hour. At the end of it, he accused me of wasting his time.:whistling::lol:

I rarely get a call back.

Mind you, my phone number is not in the directory, and that does help a bit.

Steve.:cheers2:

[exiled brummie]

Most calls we receive seem to emanate from Asia and the caller finds it impossible to pronounce my surname correctly. I get ever so "helpful", telling them there is no one of that name here. However, I do "spend time looking in the phone book for them". Takes ages to find the phone book, and by the time I get back to them the phone is usually dead.

[Waitabit]

Tit for tat?..2 days ago I had a call,...phone ringing while I was out at the clothes line, I hastened in,(didn't run, last time I did that I fell on the concrete & busted a wrist), picked up phone said the usual 'hello" no answer, ..repeated it, & is anyone there?" sound of a teaspoon clinking on a cup.(perhaps).then high female voice said.."goodbye". Well how sweet is that? At least she didn't just hangup.

[JohnN]

Could it have been a friend with whom you're not on speaking terms?
Just a thought...:)

[Waitabit]

Probably not John, I even speak to people I don't know at times. Friendly critter am I. Possibly an impatient 'works type returning a call.

[deeree]

In Australia, Telstra which issues the phone books, has just announced that residential phone books with numbers and addresses will no longer be delivered to every house in Melbourne and Sydney. Instead, they'll have to be ordered. That might cut down a few of the junk calls, although the directory will still be available on the web. A friend of mine went ex-directory, and noticed that her junk calls ceased.

[susan-y]

Got home today and I see there are 3 calls all with different strange long distance numbers on my call display.. No one left a message! We are on a no-call list, but as we just moved here and got this personal number a couple of years ago we get a lot of calls for the company that had the number previously, only that person retired about 4 years ago! Don't say get a new number... they only had 3 numbers in this exchange available and the first one we got was for someone who had JUST moved so we got a lot of irrate people when I wasn't the person whom they were calling so we changed that.
The latest scam here appears to be someone calling about looking after all your credit card debt... its an automated call... I left them hanging quite awhile at our office and forgot I had done that! Picked up the phone a good hour later and the line was still open, but no more voice message! Usually I can't be bothered and I just hang up before it barely starts.
Off I go to check my number status on the Do Not call list.. You do have to re-registar with it over here and also commercial numbers can be called and its only good to prevent Canadian telemarketers from calling. NOT much good at all:mad5:

Sue

[Waitabit]

I've just had a repeat of the odd call from a few days ago, same little 'chink' same female voice to say 'goodbye'.
Wonder if she knows something I don't?

[mfwebb]

That same indian-sounding gentleman rang me 2 nights ago at 8.00 p.m. announcing he was from such-and-such a company and ringing about a virus on my computer. As I have had these calls at least twice before I told him to "go away" and not bother me again -- unusually for me, I was not very polite.

When I answer my phone I always give my name so the caller knows at the outset who he/she is speaking to. When they say "can I spek to Mr Vebb" I usually say "hold on I'll go and get him". By the time I have found him they have usually gone.

I do find it extremely difficult though to be rude to those cold callers who ring up with a pleasant tone of voice and, picking up on my name announced as I answer the phone, say "Hi Malcolm. How are you today?".

I then go into how grateful I am they've asked about my health and make up a story about some ailment I have and visits to the doctor etc etc and how painful it is. They usually hang up. How rude of them to ask how I am and then not listen to the answer. I suppose one day I'll learn that "How are you?" is a greeting, not a question.

[Ann Dee]

When I get a nuisance call, I say "Wait a minute, I'll just get the warden". That usually sees them off!

Ann

[Nightryder]

I got not one but two calls yesterday,neither new my name, first call was from a department of Microsoft & the second was from some global company, hard to understand with the accent, Has any one else had these & is this two different scams or the same scam with different details.

[Rove]

Dont waste your breath, These calls always come on at about 3 to 4 pm and again at about 6 to 7 pm.

I pick up the phone and say nothing. No Hello, no nothing. I just tap the handset so that they can hear a noise and wait.

If its THEM, I just put the phone down.

[Pam Downes]

I got not one but two calls yesterday,neither new my name, first call was from a department of Microsoft & the second was from some global company, hard to understand with the accent, Has any one else had these & is this two different scams or the same scam with different details.

As you gave us no clue as to what was actually said, possibly same sort of scam with different details.

However Microsoft never phone you unless you have previously contacted them and they send an email to confirm the time they will phone.

Do whatever you want to repel these people, but never do or believe anything they tell you.
They know nothing about any problems you might be having with your computer.
Lie as much as you want - I don't have a computer, it's being repaired, act stupid and say you always leave these technical things to your son, etc, etc.

Same with emails. Never give banking details, passwords, etc.

The bank are not having problems with your account.
It's not the taxman asking you for your bank details so he can send you a refund.
Your long-lost great aunt Agatha has not suddenly died in Nigeria leaving you a fortune in American dollars.

Though having said
The bank are not having problems with your account.

I did have one call from my credit card company saying that there was a problem with my card, and asking for some reference - I think it was my date of birth - and I refused to believe it was them. However, I then had a think (I seem to recall that something had gone wrong with an online payment I wanted to make), so I phoned the company (got the number from the monthly statement) and yes, they had phoned me, and yes, there was a problem with my card. I did apologise for not believing they had phoned but I think that they were pleased that I had been cautious.

Pam

[susan-y]

I did have one call from my credit card company saying that there was a problem with my card, and asking for some reference - I think it was my date of birth - and I refused to believe it was them. However, I then had a think (I seem to recall that something had gone wrong with an online payment I wanted to make), so I phoned the company (got the number from the monthly statement) and yes, they had phoned me, and yes, there was a problem with my card. I did apologise for not believing they had phoned but I think that they were pleased that I had been cautious.

Pam

Pam ....you certainly did the right thing! As I mentioned there is a scam going around over here wanting to access your credit card accounts.
Remember, if they may be legit just get a name then call from a number on something like your bill from that company and you can verify the authenticity of the call. Don't call a number they give you over the phone as you never know where or who you may be calling.

Sue

[Procat]

Tit for tat?..2 days ago I had a call,...phone ringing while I was out at the clothes line, I hastened in,(didn't run, last time I did that I fell on the concrete & busted a wrist), picked up phone said the usual 'hello" no answer, ..repeated it, & is anyone there?" sound of a teaspoon clinking on a cup.(perhaps).then high female voice said.."goodbye". Well how sweet is that? At least she didn't just hangup.

It is a "robot" used by the call centre. Your number is dialled by the "robot". If you don't answer quickly enough or your answering machine turns on the "robot" cancels the call. As the "robot" often calls multiple numbers at a time the real person who will talk to you may no longer be available as someone else has answered their phone faster than you did. If this happens the "robot" will also cancel the call. If you answer the phone before the "robot" has cancelled the call but after the real person is no longer available you will hear the goodbye message - depending of course on how the thing has been set up.

[JohnN]

It is a "robot" used by the call centre. Your number is dialled by the "robot".


...and if a mechanical voice repeats "Exterminate! Exterminate!" you can be absolutely sure it's that robot again..... :)

[Richard1955]

It's also a voice activated robot.
If you answer the phone and don't say anything then nothing happens.
Bet you didn't notice that !

[Procat]

...and if a mechanical voice repeats "Exterminate! Exterminate!" you can be absolutely sure it's that robot again..... :)

:biggrin5:

[spison]

I often answer and just say "Hello". As humans generally respond to me with a robot you can hear the silence. If I say no more the connection is ended.
Jane

[Nannas]

The trouble with registering is that it only stops calls from organisations in your own country - we're on the Telephone Preference Service here in the UK but it can't stop calls from abroad. :frown2:

However when a very obviously Asian voice comes on the phone and says "Hello, my name is Kevin" we know to put the phone down! :biggrin:

In Aussie it does stop the calls.
If you get another one you report and the company is fined....
No point in cold calling me for a $79 product is your company will get a fine of $500,,,,or more...

Nannas

[Nannas]

Many sites you sign up to ask for your name/age/address...etc
Most of these sites pass the info on to third parties.....
It isn't all taken from a phone book....

Beware of which sites you sign up on and keep a record of all of them,,,,and what info you provide...
Most free offers,,,,,also state in the fine print,,,,the may pass your info onto third parties...

The third parties have no contract with you,,,,,they may pass your info onto anyone....

Nannas

[radstockjeff]

Two recent mystery calls, one to an elderly friend, which left her very upset. It purported to come from the local Police Station, demanding to know why a recent speeding ticket had not been paid. Not very pleasant character who would not give any other information other than issue threats about non payment.

Last evening a foreign sounding gent phoned to ask about my car insurance details relating to a supposed accident involving my car and his child. Again no details and on a 1471 call back -the caller with-held his number. Now there's a surprise.

Yes, they are still at it.

radstockjeff

[Debo]

i have a silent phone no. and never have any trouble, but my parents are sick of the calls and wont answer the phone after midday so i have to email them.debo

[josie7644]

Yesterday, I received a text message reminding me that I hadn't yet claimed for the accident I'd had! This was about the sixth from the same company on the same subject! I was invited to text "Claim" or "Stop". There is no way I am going to waste money texting "Stop" (even though it is only 10p). They can send as many as they like, but I'll just delete them!

[Waitabit]

It is a "robot" used by the call centre. Your number is dialled by the "don't know what for ,himself anse\wered.bot". If you don't answer quickly enough or your answering machine turns on the "robot" cancels the call. As the "robot" often calls multiple numbers at a time the real person who will talk to you may no longer be available as someone else has answered their phone faster than you did. If this happens the "robot" will also cancel the call. If you answer the phone before the "robot" has cancelled the call but after the real person is no longer available you will hear the goodbye message - depending of course on how the thing has been set up.

Right again Doug,thank you. We received our first "windows-computer-probs. call yesterday.
todays' we've been selected for....don't know what for, himself answered ..Whew!!!!!

[Procat]

We received our first "windows-computer-probs. call yesterday.
todays' we've been selected for....don't know what for, himself answered ..Whew!!!!!

Hope you played them along a bit - they deserve it.

[Waitabit]

Having a head cold helped when I answered & got the usual ' problem with computer' I said..'What computer?' he said the usual windows speel, I told him I was a pensioner & couldn't afford all of this newfangled stuff...only words failed part way through & it came out gobbledygoop, he apologised for having thewrong number & we hung up.
Next day when Himself answered,all seemed well until himself said "what subscription?, I haven't made any subscriptions...then.."well you can take your randomly selected etc......I stopped listening about then.He hung up.
No call today.:)

[alfred girling]

here in oz we can go to https://donotcall.gov.au you may have something the same

[susan-y]

They are at it again and becoming more threatening... A distant relative who has several family members in various police forces in Canada and who used to work for the police herself, just emailed me the following... I am quoting...
Just had a really disturbing call. A heavily accented voice (Indian/Pakistani) called (supposedly from Windows) about hackers getting into my computer and downloading illegal programs. They wanted me to go to my computer to resolve the problem. When I refused and advised that I'd take my computer in to my IT guy and have him call them back and asked for their number he started to speak really fast and it was hard to understand him. I explained my problem understanding and he stated he was in Pakistan and asked if I knew about Osama Ben Ladam (sp?) and his terrorism against the U.S. I asked what the heck that had to do with my computer and he stated when he came to Canada he'd break in my house and rape me. Click...I hung up!
Needless to say she is dealing with this further....

Sue

[limeyrr]

I've heard if you get called by the "robots" that give you the dead air treatment, you can quickly push numerous buttons on your phone, and the robot is led to believe it's phoned a fax machine and the number is removed from their system. I've tried it several times, whether or not it works, I'll never know.

Had a Indian fellow phone me the other day, trying to sell something or another. For some reason, once I got through the thick accent that said his name was ANGUS MACDONALD, (he even had trouble saying it) I hung up on him. Who'd have thought the Indians are using Scottish names now.

[susan-y]

I've heard if you get called by the "robots" that give you the dead air treatment, you can quickly push numerous buttons on your phone, and the robot is led to believe it's phoned a fax machine and the number is removed from their system. I've tried it several times, whether or not it works, I'll never know.

.

I've also tried that, like you, I don't know if it helps, but it makes me feel better. :wink5: They say the robot dead-air calls are to find out when you are home and then a "real" person can call back.
My relative says she spoke to both an RCMP friend and her former boss ( an OPP chief of police ) so hopefully they will be able to do some tracing. Its very frightening when these callers resort to physical threats. ( You may hear more on local news broadcasts here in Ontario)

Sue