Beware phone scam: We fix PC problems

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1692 posts

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#637866 8-Jun-2012 15:23

It must be a problem for telemarketers and phone surveyors - now anytime someone with a vaguely East-Asian or African accent calls, I hang up before they've even finished saying hello.

SepticSceptic

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#637955 8-Jun-2012 17:41

Well, I know of one victim - my girlfriend's mum just got scammed a couple of weeks ago. Badly. Silly thing is that she KNOWS not to deal with telemarketers, but as per many eldsters, they get a bit flumoxed when it comes to anything that involves computers.

So she accepted the call, allowed the remote access, and when the scum asked her for her Credit Card details, and she replied that she didn't have one, they got all nasty, and said, "You will be sorry", and promptly started deleting files ....

So the old computer is now forlornly sitting on my dining table - I haven't yet been game to power it on and see what damage has been wrought ,,, might have to dig out some recovery tools. Needless to say there are (were ?) photos galore stored on there ....

She has reported it to the police, but yeah, not much that they can do other than add it to their scammed users database ...

Ramboss

202 posts

Master Geek

#638016 8-Jun-2012 20:57

alexx: Got another call a few minutes ago and the voice quality was very bad and it was difficult to understand her, so I said...

"The windows have all been cleaned just recently"

She continues with her prepared lines, so I tell her.

"no, they came around and cleaned the windows on all the apartments last week

Great Call

Skolink

1081 posts

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#649747 2-Jul-2012 19:56

I have just had a call from a pleasant gentleman, a Mark Johnston of Microsoft. Unfortunately he called expecting that I had Microsoft Windows, and didn't realise that I had a Mac, I mean...an Apple (that's what they're called these days isn't it?). And it has no Microsoft Windows Software on it. It runs OSX I think.

No matter, as it turns out Mr Johnston's company are the Software Service Provider for all software, for Windows and Apple. Yes he said he was calling from Microsoft.

And apple computers also have a Software Security Layer. The problems I have experienced are due to the Software Security Layer. The Software Security Layer is the mother protection for your computer. Virus protection only protects against viruses. The Software Security Layer is the Mother Protection for your computer.

If anyone would like to renew their Software Security Layer please call 162 541 8700. He is expecting to hear from you later this evening.

Technofreak

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#649769 2-Jul-2012 20:34

I got a call last week a young lady from the "Microsoft Helpdesk" telling me a problem had been reported on my computer. I replied which one? Your main one she replied. I said but which main one? I kept trying to get her to be more specific but to no avail.

I used the excuse that I was having trouble hearing her to get her to repeat what she was saying just to see how determined she was. Though to be honest there was a fair racket going on the background as she was obviously calling from a call centre.

After a bit of to and fro she gave me a "serial No" and if I typed in some commands the "serial number" would appear on the screen to prove it was my computer that had the problem. I did this out of curiosity, not just on my computer but also on my wife's, guess what, the same "serial number " was present on both computers. As I suspected the "serial number" was a bogus number to fool the unwary.

I informed her that I had the same number on two different computers which didn't throw her at all, she just said they were on the same server. I said they weren't on a server bit two totally separate devices. About this time she got very agro and tried to tell me they had to to be on the same server and then accused me of lying. Shortly later she hung up.

It was a fun 5 or 10 minutes.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

nexttothemoon

35 posts

Geek

#649782 2-Jul-2012 21:12

Yep... if you aren't in the mood to just tell them to F-off and hang up it can be decent entertainment seeing how long you can keep them on the line before they hang up.

I told one I had a Spanish keyboard so I didn't know which buttons to press (they patiently talked me through everything as I played the role of confused idiot)... another I started talking about random events in the news as they were trying to tell me what to do and which "repair site" they wanted me to go to. That certainly befuzzled them.

One other time I told them the virus was infecting me and went on like demented maniac... slowly getting more and more insane with my conversation with them.

It's fun to see how long it takes to get to that point when they realize they are being had on the other end... some get it within 5 minutes... some it takes 10-15 minutes.

johnr

19282 posts

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#696026 4-Oct-2012 11:50

US shuts down 'scareware' scam which hit Kiwis

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10838296

Quic Broadband

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old3eyes

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#696091 4-Oct-2012 12:48

Good news. Wonder how long it will take them to relocate and get back to business??

Regards,

Old3eyes

Lizard1977

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#696110 4-Oct-2012 13:09

I've had a few of these "cleaning" calls over the last few months. My favourite response is to say "I don't have a computer." They query that, and ask if someone else in the house has a computer, to which I say "Nope. I don't know anyone who owns a computer. I've never used one before. I don't even know what they look like." It's quite liberating, in fact, to tell such a bald-faced lie, especially when I'm sitting in front of one of my many computers. Sometimes, I'll even deliberately tap keys a bit too loudly, just so they can hear. The entertainment value comes from seeing how long I can say it with a straight face. What can I say - there's not much on TV these days....

Rickles

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#696125 4-Oct-2012 13:21

Recently, my wife took such a call and pretended to be 'slightly old and confused' ... lot's of "that's nice dear, and how are you?", "what's the weather like", what colour computer do you have", etc etc.

Took about 7 or 8 minutes for them to hang up.

R.

xpd

Geek @ Coastguard NZ
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#696135 4-Oct-2012 13:32

If I ever get a call (unlikely due to unlisted number), Ill put one of my kids on...

Me: Hold on, Ill get the computer user for you.
Hand phone to Miss 5....
or
Hand phone to Miss 3... now, she has glue ear (getting sorted soon) and cant really understand us or talk plain English yet...she has her own language that we call "Macanese", it sounds complete gibberish but she is extremely clear and fluent in it and people end up in fits of laughter after hearing her on the phone.

The scammer may think its their own native tounge and start a conversation with her...

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

LinkTree

Technofreak

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#696280 4-Oct-2012 17:17

xpd: If I ever get a call (unlikely due to unlisted number), Ill put one of my kids on...

.

We've had a couple of calls and our number is unlisted. I think they just troll through the numbers numerically.

Sony Xperia XA2 running Sailfish OS. https://sailfishos.org The true independent open source mobile OS
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
Dell Inspiron 14z i5

allan

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#696290 4-Oct-2012 17:32

My wife is better at keeping them engaged in random useless conversation than I am, but in a recent example she managed to discuss with the "Windows Support Department" person, their university education (went to Auckland university apparently), how much they were being paid (not much), whether they liked their job, where they lived (Flinders Street, Auckland).

She kept them going for a good 10-15 minutes before they realised they were really going nowhere.

gzt

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#696393 4-Oct-2012 20:30

johnr: US shuts down 'scareware' scam which hit Kiwis

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10838296

This is very good news. I think I will quote some of that in case anyone missed it:

"The FTC charged six firms with deceptive commercial practices and other violations and asked the court to permanently halt the scams and order restitution for consumers.
The FTC cases targeted 14 corporate defendants and 17 individuals in six separate legal filings. The companies included Pecon Software Ltd, Finmaestros LLC, Zeal IT Solutions Pvt Ltd, Virtual PC Solutions, Lakshmi Infosoul Services Pvt Ltd., and PCCare247 Inc.

Canada's top telecom regulatory official, Andrea Rosen of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, said two related enforcement actions were filed in Canada.

Leibowitz said the FTC was sending a delegation to India to help work with authorities in such cases"

Hopefully we will see a drop in new reports to this thread.

BigRat

64 posts

Master Geek

#698027 8-Oct-2012 17:11

Good news for victims and other non-tech savvy people out there. Although this is yet another hobby for pranksters and tech savvy people gone. I only ever received 2 calls from them and that was it.

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