I just got a scam phone call about my computer

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misterfish

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The phone just rang and it was a 'gentleman' (in the loosest terms) with a very strong Indian sub-continent accent that introduced himself as 'Sean' from Microsoft.

Now this was a bad line with distortion and drop outs and what with the introduction I was already convinced that this was going to be some sort of scam.

He proceded to tell me that my PC was sending lots of error messages and would shut itself down very quickly unless I followed his instructions.

I asked which computer and he said it was 'my PC'. I then said I have more than one PC, so afterin asking how many he couldn't understand my answer of several, kept thinking I said 7! So after him waffling a bit with me 'hmming' back at him down the phone I accidently mentioned being a retired IT/PC programming and network specialist and knew our systems were fully protected. I was just informing that as we were signed up to the Telephone Preference Service and that as he was calling was liable to be contacted by the authorities - at which point he hung up.

So this is a warning for those not too computer savvy to be wary. A search shows that this is a known problem - if you follow the instructions they give you will load Event Viewer with all its warnings etc showing which is expected to cause panic in the unwary and will convince you to part with cash for unnecessary 'repair' software.

If I get another phone call like that I'll string the caller along for as long as possible!

Misterfish
 
misterfish":2azej5gh said:
The phone just rang and it was a 'gentleman' (in the loosest terms) with a very strong Indian sub-continent accent that introduced himself as 'Sean' from Microsoft.

I've had a few of these, from 'Colin', 'James', and I think, a 'Kevin' all with remarkably similar accents!
On the first occasion I let 'Colin' waffle on a bit, then told him I wasn't interested and put the phone down.
The other two, I've answered with 'now come on mate your name's not really James/Kevin is it?' and that got him so flustered he lost track of what he was trying to scam me with! :lol: :lol:

cheers,
Andy
 
With this sort of foreign gentleman I often ask them to hold the line as I am hard of hearing and that I will put my friend on. Then in my best Indian/Pakistani accent, which even though I say so myself I am very good at, I proceed to wind them right up. Sometimes I have them spiting teeth, and on a few occasions they have got so mad that they start f-ing and blinding down the phone at me. And on every occasion I have everyone in the room (including myself) rolling up in laughter. It certainly stops them calling back :lol:

Cheers

Mike
 
I get phone calls all the time trying to offer me free mobile phone upgrade. I work for one of the large UK Mobile operators in IT and get a free phone anyway. I have so much fun with them I almost look forward to the next call. The last one got as far as giving a false address. I gave my post code as ABC 123. I heard the woman type it in and the replied that the post code doesn't exist..... Everyone in my office was in fits of laughter as I put them on speaker phone. I ask myself, what type of person do they employ ?

I'll look forward to a call from Microsoft, India with regards to my PC. I can speak quite a bit of Hindi now after working with so many Indian's over the years and know IT inside out. This could be a real laugh for me.... :lol:

Sam
 
devonwoody":28vmjp8c said:
Reply to them in French, start parlez vous francais. or votre nom?

I have tried that but it doesn't seem to work down here?

Slightly different, but a mate of mine had a cold call from a conservatory company. He was talking to the woman for about 1/2 hour and had got to the stage of sorting out the number of electrifical sockets and the colour of the walls, etc. She said that the next thing was for an engineer/installer round to do the final bits. She asked when and where and when she got the address she slammed the phone down after calling his mum a sport (bastuard or something like that?). He lived in a first floor flat!
 
:lol: :lol: :lol:

And no sense of humour either I guess.

Roy.
 
Not trying to be a spoilsport (and these sorts of calls drive me nuts too), but these people are only trying to do a job to make ends meet. They have families to support, mortgages / rent to pay etc.

I'm a software developer and have to do phone support for my customers. Its frustrating enough trying to deal with people at the other end of the phone, particularly when there is a language barrier, but to have someone deliberately try and wind me up would be intolerable.

Before you do what you do, put yourself in their position and see how you would feel to have someone wind you up.

Paul
 
Got a scam email today informing me I was the lucky winner of £750000.
All I had to do was forward my details to arrange payment :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
I too work in the IT field. I'm in support not a developer and have to give and receive a lot of telephone support as the majority if now off shore. I also feel the pain of the language barrier. I would welcome the day somebody tried to wide me up using my method. Would brighten up my day. It would make me smile and I'd simply turn the table back on them. Also, I'm not trying to rip somebody off or scam them !! If the person calling me trying to sell me something or scam me had a slight bit of common sense or could think for them selves, they wouldn't fall for my wind up in the first place. They obviously have access to my details so they should do their homework first. I ask you, who is not going to detect a wind up when you give somebody a postcode of ABC 123..... ?? I've tried the nice way of tell them not interested, but they are persistent little bugg3rs and it's rude to hang up on somebody, so play them at their own game. At the end of the day, they have called me. If they don't want a wind up..... Simple, don't call me !!!! I didn't request the call.
 
white_sw":3dge76x2 said:
I too work in the IT field. I'm in support not a developer and have to give and receive a lot of telephone support as the majority if now off shore. I also feel the pain of the language barrier. I would welcome the day somebody tried to wide me up using my method. Would brighten up my day. It would make me smile and I'd simply turn the table back on them. Also, I'm not trying to rip somebody off or scam them !! If the person calling me trying to sell me something or scam me had a slight bit of common sense or could think for them selves, they wouldn't fall for my wind up in the first place. They obviously have access to my details so they should do their homework first. I ask you, who is not going to detect a wind up when you give somebody a postcode of ABC 123..... ?? I've tried the nice way of tell them not interested, but they are persistent little bugg3rs and it's rude to hang up on somebody, so play them at their own game. At the end of the day, they have called me. If they don't want a wind up..... Simple, don't call me !!!! I didn't request the call.

Exactly.

I worked for over 25 years with 'small systems computing'. All aspects of PC and local network systems from site survey, cabling, installation, bespoke programming and help desk support, so I know a bit about the subject.

What annoys me is that the call I received was not offering me a legitimate service but trying to defraud me (and probably steal my details) and in such a case I have no sympathy with them or their situation. As a comparison I (ir)regularly get phone calls from a carpet cleaning company, but they are open and say they are offering a legitimate service. When i tell them we have wood and tile floors they are polite, say goodbye and hang up.

So if somebody tries to scam me I consider them as fair game. I posted this thread as a warning to those not so computer lieterate and to keep their wits about them.

Misterfish
 
The favourite cold call here is from companies 'associated' with EDF and they are trying to sell VERY expensive solar power systems. If I want to practice my French then I talk to them if not I either ask them if they speak English or I tell them that I am a 'locataire' (tenant) and either way they just go away.

So far no scam calls.

I wouldn't have any problems with winding up people who are disturbing me in the privacy of my home. I spent a year in the IBM specialist centre when it was at Hanger Lane, London. I was there giving phone support to AS400 customers and the difference between that and cold calls is that people are asking for your assistance, not being phoned out of the blue by someone they don't know and probably don't want to know.
 
The 'Telephone Preference Service seems to be a waste of time.

I am getting frequent silent calls. If perchance someone does answer and I eventually do a 1471 I get 'Caller withheld Number'.
So what can the Telephone Preference Service do?
Sweet Fanny Adams.

I know someone who once worked for a 'cold-call' sales company. He told me the calls are generated by computer, and they can call multiple phone numbers simultaneously. The first person who picks up gets the call. The remainder get a nothing but a click!

It is slowly Pi$$ing me off! Maybe I can get caller I/D for my number?


:evil:

John
 
I wasn't trying to defend the scammers - they deserve all they get. Them and email spammers should be put up against a wall and shot - its more the cold call sales people that I was asking for some understanding for.

Paul
 
Paulg":2ahl2aam said:
- its more the cold call sales people that I was asking for some understanding for.

Paul

I do see your point, they may well be doing the only job they can get at present but, when I say I'm not interested - I'm NOT interested - end of, except it isn't.
I know it's their supervisor/boss who make them persist long after it's been made clear I don't want whatever it is they're floggin, but that don't make it any less irritating.
 
exactly, if they took no as an answer and left me alone, then no wind up would be necessary.....
 
Paulg":1j4p73tr said:
I wasn't trying to defend the scammers - they deserve all they get. Them and email spammers should be put up against a wall and shot - its more the cold call sales people that I was asking for some understanding for.

Paul

Agreed - their job is hellish enough without "witty people" making it worse.

BugBear
 
Paulg":sucif5kx said:
Not trying to be a spoilsport (and these sorts of calls drive me nuts too), but these people are only trying to do a job to make ends meet. They have families to support, mortgages / rent to pay etc.

I'm a software developer and have to do phone support for my customers. Its frustrating enough trying to deal with people at the other end of the phone, particularly when there is a language barrier, but to have someone deliberately try and wind me up would be intolerable.

Before you do what you do, put yourself in their position and see how you would feel to have someone wind you up.

Paul

Coldcallers deserve a special level of hell all to themselves. pineapple them. If they don't want to be wound up then they should get a less evil job. :lol:
 
We've been troubled by cold calls for some time and have tried TPS with no luck. The one thing that seems to reduce the number is, after they've done their opening line, to say "Can you just hold for a moment?" then just put the phone down without disconnecting. This does then cost them time for no reward and has cut down the number significantly.

If everyone did this they could not afford to make the cold calls...
 
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