Beware phone scam: We fix PC problems

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#586919 26-Feb-2012 13:36

geesh this has been going on for ever ( 12-Aug-2010) hasn't any of the authorities managed to catch who's doing it yet .... thankfully I've yet to have the displeasure of these dingdongs calling me, although they did get my mum but she's a smart cookie and said thanks for letting her know I'll get my son onto it as he's an computer technician goodbye ... ... ... LOLOLOLOLOLOLO

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#586921 26-Feb-2012 13:46

tedzart: I have a theory on this matter and I don't believe it is just a matter of harvesting the phone book for
potential victims.
"Unlisted Numbers" are also being called to "fix your computer problems".
I believe that since much of Our personal information is being attended to by Call Centers such as in the
Philippines and Egypt, this info is then sold on to a 3rd party for example in Calcutta, India, or some individuals in Call Centres are part of the information chain for dubious purposes.

No way

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#586924 26-Feb-2012 13:56

Why not? We've seem this kind of thing happening with a TelstraClear call centre operator a few months back using a customer's credit card details - why not telephone numbers?

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#586927 26-Feb-2012 14:01

tedzart: I believe that since much of Our personal information is being attended to by Call Centers such as in the
Philippines and Egypt, this info is then sold on to a 3rd party for example in Calcutta, India, or some individuals in Call Centres are part of the information chain for dubious purposes.

I'm with johnr on this one, having recently spent a bit of time talking to Telecom's Manila call center I haven't noticed any resumption of these calls, making accusations out of thin air is a bit wrong.

Are unlisted people been asked for my name? The more logical explanation is one outfit is running through the phonebook, another company is random dialing, or working out what numbers are unassigned/not listed, and calling them.

A more logical explanation is that with data leaks (hacking/accidental publication etc) from many e-Commerce sites, name/number data has been mined and sold to such outfits by black hats. Just like how credit card data gets sold on the black market.

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#586942 26-Feb-2012 14:18

freitasm: Why not? We've seem this kind of thing happening with a TelstraClear call centre operator a few months back using a customer's credit card details - why not telephone numbers?

They will be using dialers setup to start at a range of numbers. Example

093550000 to 093559999

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#586945 26-Feb-2012 14:21

tedzart:

johnr:

freitasm: Why not? We've seem this kind of thing happening with a TelstraClear call centre operator a few months back using a customer's credit card details - why not telephone numbers?

If it is true unlisted numbers are being called, then there is some logic to that point of view.

Any database which correlates broadband connections (or perhaps customer accounts) to particular phone numbers could be illegally mined for that purpose.

I suggest future reports in this thread name the ISP of the intended victim, and if possible the company name the calling scammer uses to identify itself.

It is possible a pattern will emerge. It is also possible if data is being obtained from a major telco or lines related database which stores all broadband connections and associated phone numbers, then more finely tuned data will be required to establish the source of the data.

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#586946 26-Feb-2012 14:27

freitasm: Why not? We've seem this kind of thing happening with a TelstraClear call centre operator a few months back using a customer's credit card details - why not telephone numbers?

johnr: They will be using dialers setup to start at a range of numbers. Example 093550000 to 093559999

It is possible a number of different methods are employed, and by different originators. Obtaining guaranteed valid numbers with guaranteed internet connections would be far more profitable than random calling.

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#587043 26-Feb-2012 19:25

nigelj:
tedzart: I believe that since much of Our personal information is being attended to by Call Centers such as in the
Philippines and Egypt, this info is then sold on to a 3rd party for example in Calcutta, India, or some individuals in Call Centres are part of the information chain for dubious purposes.

I'm with johnr on this one, having recently spent a bit of time talking to Telecom's Manila call center I haven't noticed any resumption of these calls, making accusations out of thin air is a bit wrong.

That's one experience with one call centre - perhaps if this is happening then the specific call centre servicing your provider is not involved. It doesn't prove anything against or not.

nigelj: Are unlisted people been asked for my name? The more logical explanation is one outfit is running through the phonebook, another company is random dialing, or working out what numbers are unassigned/not listed, and calling them.

A few posts back someone said they are unlisted and were called by name.

nigelj: A more logical explanation is that with data leaks (hacking/accidental publication etc) from many e-Commerce sites, name/number data has been mined and sold to such outfits by black hats. Just like how credit card data gets sold on the black market.

That could be the case too.

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#587080 26-Feb-2012 20:52

freitasm: That's one experience with one call centre - perhaps if this is happening then the specific call centre servicing your provider is not involved. It doesn't prove anything against or not.

Sure it doesn't prove anything against or not, but it's got a little bit more basis than a wild accusation.

freitasm:
nigelj: Are unlisted people been asked for my name? The more logical explanation is one outfit is running through the phonebook, another company is random dialing, or working out what numbers are unassigned/not listed, and calling them.

A few posts back someone said they are unlisted and were called by name.

Unless the post has disappeared (has it?), looking at this months posts, I could only see Steve's (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=50&topicid=66095&page_no=11#586268) which didn't say anything about been called by name, just that as an unlisted number got targeted as a side effect of those toll number scams.

In the case of the two posts that were said to be called by name, Aston seems to have a listed article as he references the white pages, so unless Dan is unlisted it seems no unlisted people have been called by their names.

(Note, even if they do call an unlisted person by name, could it be they were smart enough to write done their name previously?)

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#587164 27-Feb-2012 05:20

Just for the record ... I am not making wild accusations out of thin air ... I put forward a "theory" and from where I stand my "theory" seems more plausible to me than those that see what I have said as an "accusation".
I have had the same phone number for 25 years and have experienced all sorts of crank calls, many of them
being from "Microsoft - fix your computer" and other phony company names.
My elderly neighbours also have been contacted .... one does not have a computer connection. Both neighbours were contacted by computer fixers before their number was even listed in the phone book.
Their retirement units have just been built. Plenty of people experience these calls, even those without broadband connections or computer, all across the Globe.

My "theory" may very well upset the likes of who use Call Centers in the 3rd World. However, from my own experience using the Manila Call Center, it caused me nothing but anguish dealing with those that never called back,
never did the "modem tests", never helped in anyway but was (the operator at the call center) more intent on gathering information on me and my family ... and I asked for what purpose is this info required? The sweet talking lady then told me she was just trying to be friendly. I did not "accuse" her of mining me for information, but I did feel that this is what she was actually doing. My problem was not fixed and no record of my call ... because I complained when she did not call back at the specified arranged time.
Because of this incident(s) and others, I will not go through Manila again ... because of "distrust" ... this is not a "theory" . Have a nice day *grin*

sleepy

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#588197 29-Feb-2012 10:13

Seems to be doing the rounds of Dunedin again
a friend had a call this morning he works at a church in dunedin they asked for Mrs Christ

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#588219 29-Feb-2012 10:46

Hmmmmm .... that is a scam for sure, since Christ was a Bachelor *grin*

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#588252 29-Feb-2012 11:42

johnr:
freitasm: Why not? We've seem this kind of thing happening with a TelstraClear call centre operator a few months back using a customer's credit card details - why not telephone numbers?

They will be using dialers setup to start at a range of numbers. Example

093550000 to 093559999

Brings back memories of war dialling back in the BBS days

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#588360 29-Feb-2012 14:54

tedzart: Hmmmmm .... that is a scam fo
r sure, since Christ was a Bachelor *grin*

erm no he wasn't he was married to Mary Magdelin LOL

dan

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#600503 26-Mar-2012 22:09

another call from these guys again, kept then on for 50 mins, got them dialed into a XP virtual machine, was curious on what they would do

so basically they do this

-get you to go to www.ammyy.com and run the remote control software from there
-they then dial in and take control
-then THEY go to logmein123.com and start up yet another remote control session (so theres 2 sessions running)
-after trying to show how the event viewer is a virus, and claiming they have disconnected, asked me to go to
-www.bubblepc.com and get you to go to the online store section and buy one of their "virus removal tools"

I was passed around to 4 different people while my poor PC was "crashing/bluesceening", they all had perfect english with a middle eastern accent, the room was crazy noisy could easily hear other "operators" in the background, seems as if business was good for them :/

they pushed hard to get me to buy the 150$ USD "product" - alot of money.

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