Telephone scammers

[Kerry]

Just received a phone call and let my answering machine pick it up...I then heard a voice saying 'Hello...Helllloooo!'...As I was at the other end of the house, I picked
up the phone as I couldn't distinguish the voice and thought it must have been my son due to the casual 'Hello's' being yelled into the phone...When I answered, a man with an
accent asked for me by name...So I replied with 'Who is this?'...The response I got was 'This is the maintenance department of your windows computer'....
I quickly advised that I wasn't interested in scams and hung up...Are these people for real??? There is no way this guy was legit as he didn't give me his name nor the
name of any company...Just wondering if anyone else has received similar calls?

[Kym]

No it's NOT legit. This is a well known overseas scam. Just hang up.

[Lance B]

Yes, it's a scam. You did the right thing.

[FALCONLORD]

Oh that just sounds like some fun to be had…
As a Computer geek I’d have fun playing with the tool at the other end of the phone for a while

[arthurking83]

..
As a Computer geek I’d have fun playing with the tool at the other end of the phone for a while

Yeah!

Learn just a few of the very basic Linux/Unix principles of computing(such as device nomenclature and so forth, and have a play with his mind.

" ... yeah, I got Windows7 Ultimate and it's causing me troubles. It says dev/hda is not formatted, and it recommends I format in ext3 .... Oh!, and it appears a GNOME has infected my Windows computer.. this is good that you called me now, I really need some help. "

I have no idea what that means, and it'll probably confuse him as well.

tell 'ya what tho!! ... I'd trade all the infuriating junk mail I get(per hour) for a scam phone call a day!

And why is it that snails eat regular mail(to the point where I can't read the amount required for paying the bill in full!), but not the more voluminous junk mail quality paper?? Surely all that silky shiny high quality smoothness is much better for the digestive tracts of the common garden variety snail!

[old dog]

yes, I got one of those calls a few months back.......lucky I didn`t go along for the ride.

[ving]

i am the maintenance man for my windows computer so no worries here

scammers are everywhere!

[Analog6]

They've got a ruddy hide! I picked one up by accident like that and strung him along for a while before telling him I didn't HAVE any Windows computers.

[Kerry]

I did think after I hung up that I should have had a bit of fun with him, but I was so peeved that I couldn't get off the phone from him quick enough!!

[ving]

"oh youre my windows computer maintenance guy! cool! can you hold for jsut a moment...."

puts phone down and walks away for 30 mins...

[fastr1red]

I didn't realise my windows had a computer, I normally open them manually like with my own hands.
NO your computer with windows on it.
My computer doesn't have windows, it's just a normal screen.
Hangs up...LOL

[Sammi]

I had one of these calls when we first moved down to melb, in fact it was the day after the phone was connected and about an hr after the net was connected, i answered and he said that microsoft had just rang them to ask if they can contact me to help rectifi the problem apparently a huge virus had got onto my comp, i asked how he got my number and he said that microsoft had givin it to him, WRONG answer and i hung up..... thought about it later and should have turned around to him and said sorry we only have linux machines in this household...

[ricktas]

To be frank, if people fall for this stuff, then they deserve to! Seriously, for how many years now have we been warned about all sorts of scams, yet people still even fall the Nigerian $25M lotto ones. If they are that dumb, they deserve to get caught out.

[pgbphotographytas]

To be frank, if people fall for this stuff, then they deserve to! Seriously, for how many years now have we been warned about all sorts of scams, yet people still even fall the Nigerian $25M lotto ones. If they are that dumb, they deserve to get caught out.

If I had a dollar for every time somebody asked me about things like this and if they were real I would not have to work any more

I guess the "smart" thing about this scam is that 90% + of home computers would be running Windows and some / most people are too dumb to think that something like this sounds suspect and should not be trusted. People always have and always will fall for scams like this, I have had a case at my work where somebody was called and started to install the software but as they don't have admin rights they couldn't install anything

Paul

[geoffsta]

I just had a phone call from scammers wanting information on my computer..
I let the indian bloke named Brook ramble on about how to use computer management, and can I see certain files in there
I had him going for about 5 minutes, not touching anything on the computer. My son and I were having a great laugh as he waffled on.
I had to stop at some stage, so as he was getting to the interesting bit. I said "Well brook, I am having this call traced, and I have enough information now to call the police. You are in the sh1t"
He then hung up (Don't know why)
The phone number on my phone states; 0256 199300. Just ask for Brook

The company he said was "Windows Support"

[BecdS]

I just had a phone call from scammers wanting information on my computer..
I let the indian bloke named Brook ramble on about how to use computer management, and can I see certain files in there
I had him going for about 5 minutes, not touching anything on the computer. My son and I were having a great laugh as he waffled on.
I had to stop at some stage, so as he was getting to the interesting bit. I said "Well brook, I am having this call traced, and I have enough information now to call the police. You are in the sh1t"
He then hung up (Don't know why)
The phone number on my phone states; 0256 199300. Just ask for Brook

The company he said was "Windows Support"

I did this too! I let the guy go on for ages, just giggling to myself. When he took a breath, I told him that the conversation had been recorded by the police and he hung up.

They tried it on my Gran, who doesn't even have a computer.

[old dog]

haaa...I like that approach. Must try it next time as the buggers call at least twice a week. I tell them their mothers would be ashamed of what they are doing then hang up.

[dbax]

a timely reminder, brook called my 2 nights ago, he had the cheek to call back after I hung up so I kept him on the line for about 15 minutes before he realised he was going around in circles and hung up. I feel so sorry for the elderly who fall for this scam

[mrsgrumblebum]

I had the same call about 7 weeks ago, the caller was a male and I just simply hung up. Fast forward 3 weeks later answer phone a long pause, thought it was my daughter calling from over seas so I stayed on the line and the a female voice goes... Hi mam I am not trying to sell you anything so please don't hang up. Ha I thought, let the games begin, as soon as she asked do you have windows,my reply was yes I have many after about 10-15 mins of leading her up the garden path she says We need to rid your windows of a nasty virus, and I just replied oh you are to kind but I will just clean my window with some disinfectant that should kill the virus and by the way this called is being traced right back to you and she hung up very quickly.

[Rattus79]

My home phone is on purely for the net. Anytime it rings, it's got to be a telemarketer, as I don't even know the number!

I like to answer it with "Bartles underground Airport, Chief of the watch speaking"

It's amazing how quickly they hang up, I'm yet to get one to talk to me.