Scammers in force!

[Lee]

Over the past few weeks we've had at least 4 calls now obviously it seems from some Asian/Indian call centre, claiming to be from Microsoft explaining our computer is at risk and we need to get online and type an address in to the computer so they can 'fix' something....
Was so obviously a scam as to be laughable....

ammyy.com was the address they were trying to get me to type...

I look forward to the calls now, just gave one guy the run-around for 10 minutes before I told him I wasn't a ****head..... :)
The only sport I get now.... I figure the worst you can really do is waste their time as much as possible....

[ZeroID]

I give them a few minutes then they get the 'sex & travel' suggestion yelled at them.
Gave one a big run around a few weeks ago when I asked him which computer and that I had five so I needed to know which one of course. Kind of screwed up his 'script' .. He still got the same suggestion eventually.

[Lee]

These guys were so bad, you couldn't make it up - the first guy was apparently from Microsoft.... after a while of ginning him around saying I was typing in all sorts of wrong things, I said I had an Apple computer.... Wait he says....
30s later someone 'from Apple' was on the line!

I told him how impressed I was that Microsoft and Apple were collaborating so closely to safeguard my online experience! Funny.....

[Stardrifter_WA]

You should do what I do, as I like to give them something to worry about. :D

I keep them going for a few minutes, playing really dumb, and then change my voice suddenly and say, in a very polite and officious voice, "thank you for your time, we have traced this call to its origin point, the security service have now been despatched to your location".

I don't know if this freaks them out or not, but they always seem to hang up quick. :D :lol:

They would be used to people telling them were to go, as it is a numbers game, so that is pointless. I would rather put the wind up them instead.

Cheers Peter

[jenchris]

When I told the woman, who was entreating me to give her permission to invade my PC, to get involved with a taxidermist she told me I was very rude(!). I replied that she was very criminal whereupon she desisted and cut the umbilical cord to my wealth.

[doppler]

I tell them that I don't have a computer...they respond with "but everyone has one" When I ask what do you need to have one for? they hang up.

[mithrandir]

Anyone tried asking how their Windows or OSX "fixes" apply to "your system"? Pick at random one of AIX, BSD, HPUX, Linux, Solaris, or any other obscure O/S you can thing of.

[Renato1]

My brother just tells them that it's his wife's computer, and would they mind holding on while he goes and gets her as she is outside?

Then he puts the phone down and walks away.

He figures that way, he wastes the maximum amount of their time.

I just tell them they're not from Microsoft and to P###Off.
Regards,
Renato

[Lee]

A couple of weeks ago I had this woman ring up, asked me to type in w w w . a m m y y . c o m..... I suggested she type in F U ... ... O F F instead. She thought about it, uttered an obscenity and hung up....

[Octane]

Their goal is to try and get you to open the Windows Event Viewer.

There is a red cross marked against a common item in pretty much all installs.

They try and use this as a signal that something is wrong with your system.

They then want you to go to a site so that a trojan is installed and then they can take control of your system.

The best thing to do is keep them on the phone for as long as you possibly can (wasting their call credits); act dumb and computer illiterate. Every second that you keep them on the phone is a second that they're not using to lay claim to a potential victim.

If you wish to join the fight, join us over at 419 Eater. The 21st century blood sport.

H

[h0ughy]

funny you post this Lee, one of my coworkers got a phone call last night - so they are moving up the charts from DR to DU in the last name stakes. might take them a few months to get to me ;)

[wasyoungonce]

I cannot understand why MS isn't doing something about this, apart from the blatant fraud, they are misrepresenting MS personnel and products!

[ZeroID]

What CAN MS do ? Nothing
What they are doing is illegal and unscrupulous and anything else you can think of but they are scammers and supposedly outside anyones control in dodgy countries.
You can't sue crooks for misrepresentation as far as I know.

[Lee]

Maybe they should run some ads....

"You don't pay us enough to personally monitor your computer and provide telephone assistance when needed!"

At the end of the day though the scammers only exist because there are too many gullible people around.... :rolleyes:

[wasyoungonce]

MS can take these companies to US/international court to stop their practices (there is copyright and product misrepresentation of MS and their products at stake here). Failing that they can have their government put trade pressure on the offending countries to crack down on these companies...Yanks have done this successfully before.

Problem is US is depending on India as an ally in the region.

These scammers are getting way out of hand atm...getting calls now at night ~8pm a few times per week. Tried all the trick, they just do not give up.

Pretty much thinking of ditching the home phone completely atm because of constant scam calls, but need it for obvious reasons. We use an answering machine but this is getting worse slowly exponentially.:mad2:

[michaellxv]

I know people who have done this. Well not quite, but they have unplugged the land line as it was usually the kids that answered it.

[ZeroID]

They are not companies, they are just scammers, gangs of people on PC's and phones, Nigerian hustlers, Russian scripters, you name it. They are illegal in any country, but which country are they in this time. They go through multiple proxies and IP disguisers so they could be anywhere in the world. You have to find them first then send in the local police.

[wasyoungonce]

I thought the Indian callers were working in organised call centres....I'll have to look this up.

edit: further reading show yes some site have been blocked and people prosecuted (although no harsh sentencing) that most sites are run by people buying call centre operations time from another country then getting the Indian centre to do their dirty work.

Pretty much no one is doing anything proactive to stop this. Sigh pretty much we live with the detritus in the world we created.

[ZeroID]

If that's the case then it might get worse as a lot of the work the Indian Call Centres used to do is being moved the Phillipines, cheaper labour. So the ICC's will be looking for work elsewhere.
Just wish they had more scruples about who engages them ..

[uwahl]

I was reading the latest post on this thread when who should ring but the friendly "Microsoft" technician with the Indian accent. It was painfully obvious he was reading from a script and badly mangled many of the words. I can't believe anyone would be taken in by this scam!!??:rofl::rofl:

[MrB]

I did this about 5 or 6 years ago.
Haven't missed it for a single second.

[wasyoungonce]

Elderly? Those who have reduced cognitive powers? This happens with age and there are quite a few in society who are not that computer literate.

[acropolite]

I had a slightly disturbing incident. The scammer who rang claimed to be from Bigpond, my computer was infected and was spreading the virus all over bigpond. I told the idiot that I knew lots of people in Telstra and that I also worked in the industry, followed by "How about I trasfer you to the nearest police station"..... deathly silence.... After a few more seconds of silence I asked the scammer if he understood what I had said, "no could you repeat that again" he said. I repeated then told him to F$% off.

The disturbing part of the story is that just 10 minutes before I had finished a call with Telstra at their OS call centre, I had completed an internet transaction to unlock HRH's iphone for international travel.

The call centre operator had my phone number and knew that I had both a computer and internet access and that I had just completed a credit card transaction.

I'm more than a little suspicious that my scam call was set up from information coming out of that overseas Testra call centre.

[Peter.M]

I work with a few Indians, I got them to teach me to swear in their language nothing more satisfying than telling them to f off in Hindi.

[Sconesbie]

Old mate from a "windows certified department" just called. He didn't know which "windows certified department" just that it was a "windows certified department". Bugger me if I didn't have a virus in my computer. He was certainly kind enough to start guiding me through the steps to fix this bug. As soon as he told me what I needed to do I asked what I should have on the screen. He asked "what do you have on the screen"? I asked him "you tell me what I should have"? He got a bit cross. Sorry I upset you but there is no need to get cross. I know you're only trying to help. I asked him when he wanted my credit card number as I was ready to give it to him. When he asked why he would need it, I told him it was so he could rip me off. It's not that difficult. I'm just trying to make it easy for him to do his job. Then I asked him what country and city he was calling from. Just to make conversation while he helped me fix the virus. It sounds like he must have had a bad line because the call was disconnected. What do I do now? I have a computer virus, no little Indian man to help me fix it and my bank account is intact.

[Shano592]

Damn! I think I will have to plug my phone back in. I'm missing out here!

[uwahl]

This time it was the friendly technician from "Telstra" who claimed my computer was slowing their entire network! Not a bad effort considering it wasn't even turned on at the time.

That's two in two days. :rolleyes:

[AndrewJ]

I also got one about 8:00pm last night ( they are ringing later and later ) from the "Windows dept".
It was the same woman who has rung up before, as she has a vey distinctive way of squawking "shut up" before slamming down her phone,
( just after you call her a scammer )
Truth hurts i guess:shrug:

Andrew

[cornelia]

That's what I do, too. I waste their time as much as possible. :)

[cornelia]

I got tips to annoy them from http://www.callercenter.com/articles/14waystoannoytelemarketers.html and they're really funny! I hope to get another call tonight so I can try the Tom Mabe prank this time.. :)

[wasyoungonce]

Problem is I have tired in doing pranks back to them, I have better things to do and lately been getting calls 8pm+ at night.

The Whistle trick probably doesn't do what it used to as they use VOIP and the bandwidth is very low and signals have attenuated peak.

Probably best trick is to put your 3yr old on the phone to talk to them.;)

[guggle]

Care to spread these choice words to the rest of us..?

[g__day]

Just tell them you're still on Windows for Workgroups (Windows 3.11) and you can't find any of this new fangled Start Button, Program Manager or Event Viewer.

Plan B - tell them you also work for Microsoft Technical support. I did that once, the call went like:

Me: Are you calling locally?
Bogus: Yes we are in your home city
Me: Oh so you're from the MS Head Office local support team?
Bogus: Yes we are sir.
Me: On level 2?
Bogus: Yes that's right.
Me: Oh well my home phone diverted to work, I work for MS Technical support and I'm on level 2 right now - please stand up and wave to me

They hang up fast after that and in fact never called back!

[noeyedeer]

unknown number or international .. pick up.. hang up. if it's important thryll call back. that's my method.

matt

[AndrewJ]

Gday Matt
Its important to let them start talking, as sometimes you can have fun.
About a month ago i got a trainee.
I know if noone is on the phone immediately i pick up, that its probably a telemarketer so just tersely say/repeat
"hello, what do you want, is anyone there"
Once they start talking i reiterate "what do you want"
I got one newbie scammer who got so flustered, he started reading his script card wrong, then muttered an expletive to himself and hung up
Best fun for ages

Andrew

[tlgerdes]

I'm still patiently waiting for 3 yrs for one of these, I must be on their "do not call" register.:D

[AndrewJ]

Gday Trevor

Im on the do not call register too, but it doesnt stop the "microsoft"/"windows" scammers, as there is no way to get their details.

Andrew