microsoft warning

[Phil Pascoe]

I had an Indian guy on the phone this morning - hello, I'm ringing from Microsoft about your computer - Maybe they're doing the rounds again...

 

[david123]

Yes Phil, that on does seem to pop up regularly. It must still work for them to keep doing it. Scams really annoy me as they seem to effect the most vonarable of our society greater than most.

 

[lanemaux]

It never really stops Phil. What I find most amusing is the disbelief factor when they call my home or that of my mother-in-law. I use Ubuntu and tag them along a bit , as in no I don't have a problem with my windows computer. Could you give some more information please? When they need to go off script they can be quite amusing. My favorites try and play guessing games like "apple computers show the same problems now sir" , strike 2!! Best is when they call the MIL though. I reset the microwave clock each time I go over. Needless to say her websurfing days would be limited to her complete lack of computer , internet or even a push button phone. And they still simply refuse to believe the simple statement " I don't have a computer , go away" CLICK.

 

[Graham Orm]

You'll notice that the emails offering money for you to launder have slowed? It's because I started saving them and forwarding them on to each other. They have obviously now found friends with similar problems and had a chat about it.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

=D> =D>

 

[stevenw1963]

We bought one of the new BT phones and now don't get ANY nuisance calls (we used to get approx. 10 a day!!!) as the phone vets them all if it's an unrecognised number - best £50 we ever spent.

 

[Baldhead]

We bought one of the new BT phones and now don't get ANY nuisance calls (we used to get approx. 10 a day!!!) as the phone vets them all if it's an unrecognised number - best £50 we ever spent.

A referee's whistle is cheaper, it doesn't stop the calls but it leaves a ringing in their ears :wink:

Baldhead

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I registered at the advertising preference site, which stops most things, but we shouldn't get them as it's an ex dir. No. (It's obviously an old number, though, and probably wasn't ex dir. before we had it). It wouldn't stop a crook anyway.
How does the above system handle important first time calls? I've had loads in the last twelve months from numbers I don't know and at times I didn't expect either.

 

[Mark A]

We bought one of the new BT phones and now don't get ANY nuisance calls (we used to get approx. 10 a day!!!) as the phone vets them all if it's an unrecognised number - best £50 we ever spent.

A referee's whistle is cheaper, it doesn't stop the calls but it leaves a ringing in their ears :wink:

Baldhead

As satisfying as it may be, don't forgot the people making these nuisance calls aren't doing it for fun. The pay's cr@p and the abuse the call centre workers get is terrible. I certainly wouldn't like to be one.

I'm not sure how it works, but apparently the workers are paid for each call which connects. I've heard the best approach is to nicely decline their offer of double glazing/PPI claim and then ask to be taken off their calling list. The worker is paid by their employer, and you'll have one less caller to pester you.

If someone tells them to f-off and slams down the phone, then that isn't classed as a successful call and the workers don't receive anything. It's likely they'd then press a button putting your number at the top of the call list so you receive even more nuisance calls...

 

[Baldhead]

We bought one of the new BT phones and now don't get ANY nuisance calls (we used to get approx. 10 a day!!!) as the phone vets them all if it's an unrecognised number - best £50 we ever spent.

A referee's whistle is cheaper, it doesn't stop the calls but it leaves a ringing in their ears :wink:

Baldhead

As satisfying as it may be, don't forgot the people making these nuisance calls aren't doing it for fun. The pay's cr@p and the abuse the call centre workers get is terrible. I certainly wouldn't like to be one.

I'm not sure how it works, but apparently the workers are paid for each call which connects. I've heard the best approach is to nicely decline their offer of double glazing/PPI claim and then ask to be taken off their calling list. The worker is paid by their employer, and you'll have one less caller to pester you.

If someone tells them to f-off and slams down the phone, then that isn't classed as a successful call and the workers don't receive anything. It's likely they'd then press a button putting your number at the top of the call list so you receive even more nuisance calls...

I wasn't aware of that Mark, next time I'll warn them they have 5 seconds to hang up before I blow my whistle, if that sound unsympathetic than that's what I am, I hate scammers, I know of one old dear who was scammed (not the Microsoft scam though) it's not nice.

Baldhead

 

[Graham Orm]

If someone tells them to f-off and slams down the phone, then that isn't classed as a successful call and the workers don't receive anything.

Who told you this Mark one of the telephonists? :mrgreen: Can I interest you in making a lot of money? I have £20,000,000 and need somewhere to put it for a month...do you have a bank account Mark? :mrgreen:

 

[Chippygeoff]

I have those sort of calls on a regular basis, There is a problem with your computer the caller states. What sort of a problem I ask, You have windows 7 and you are trying to use older software with it. That's strange I say, I have never had a problem with any of the software I have on my Apple i Mac.

 

[Mark A]

Can I interest you in making a lot of money? I have £20,000,000 and need somewhere to put it for a month...do you have a bank account Mark? :mrgreen:

Wow! Thanks!

I presume you're the daughter of a Nigerian general who has inherited the money after your father was assassinated. Will you keep 50% for yourself as usual?

 

[Graham Orm]

Can I interest you in making a lot of money? I have £20,000,000 and need somewhere to put it for a month...do you have a bank account Mark? :mrgreen:

Wow! Thanks!

I presume you're the daughter of a Nigerian general who has inherited the money after your father was assassinated. Will you keep 50% for yourself as usual?

Yes, you've met my sister then? :mrgreen:

I also have some double glazing left over from a job for one of your neighbours, I can do it half price if you're quick. :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Claymore]

why not ask them for their phone number and tell them you will give them a ring later when you have your bank details handy or even better thank them for being so thoughtful and what a nice lady she is wanting to give you 21 million dollars!
ps I just use an old football airhorn and give them a quick blast....... remember many of them are using in ear headphones so will get a nice surprise.

 

[graduate_owner]

The most ironic nuisance call I have had is from an Indian lady trying to sell me a device that will block nuisance calls. (As in the call you are now making to me perhaps?). She assured me it would bring peace and harmony back to my phone and to my house.

What a wonderful thought. Perhaps I should have bought one after all.

K

 

[Graham Orm]

I was caught out several years ago. I'd advertised a car in auto trader and the ad was due to end. I'd not sold it so was thinking of ringing them to renew the ad....what a stroke of luck when they rang me, I was in the middle of something else (that's my excuse), the nice lady explained that for security reasons they don't keep credit card details on file so I would have to give it all again. We ended the call and as I put the phone down I thought...'wait a minute, I have no idea who she was'.
I rang auto trader who knew nothing about it. Eventually with the help of the credit card company they were tracked to a Blackpool warehouse, from where they ran a totally unadvertised car trading website. Sure enough my car was on it, so they hadn't broken a law....apart from introducing themselves as auto trader. I contacted the police, who were already onto it after numerous complaints.

They were hauled in and there were convictions for fraud. I didn't get my money back though. The credit card company were as resilient as the thieves thought they would be.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I often 'share' radio four with them - the handset sits nicely on the shelf next to the radio. That's for the ones that are slow to pick up (some of those systems wait for a noise from the recipient before switching the call through to a human).

For the "Microsoft security department" ones, I preach at them if I'm in the mood, asking them what will happen to their immortal soul if they go on trying to make a living by lying and cheating people. It might persuade one of them to stop at some point. I can't believe they can't get other jobs, after all most have resonable English, implying they have education. And I'm sure they know they're doing something wholly dishonest.

Leaving the 'call handling' aside, I am annoyed that the telecoms companies here aren't getting leaned-on harder by Ofcom to deal with this.

It's simple: as well as CLID, all modern digital calls also contain call origin and routing information. It's there at the point of entry into the UK infrastructure. It gets as far as your exchange where the conversion to analogue happens.

It's extremely simple to have rules, for example,

Rule 1: any call from Nigeria (for example - there are other identifiable hotspots) that are carrying CLID that doesn't match the point of origin, or is otherwise invalid (e.g. too few digits, or pretending to be a local number here), is automatically blocked wherver it enters the telco's network.

Rule 2: no international calls will be accepted if the number is withheld.

It's easy enough to create a white-list of exceptions if there are legitimate reasons why things might not match up, but I struggle to guess what reasons there might be. Bear in mind that 'number withheld' calls here are only that on the final link from the exchange to your house. Inside the network you can't make a call from Nigeria look like it came from down the road, but the CLID can be made to look like it came from anywhere - it's only the recipient that is being fooled.

If they still want to go on playning silly b***rs, cut off the entire country. Just stop routing their calls.

If Nigeria (for example), wanted to continue to be connected though IDD, they'd soon put their house in order. If not, aid agencies, embassies, etc. all have satellite phones...

The ones operating in the UK CAN be traced, caught and prosecuted. Ofcom simply don't pursue the problem with enough vigour.

I've been up ladders, in the middle of painting stuff, under the car, in the attic, cooking, and so on. I can't be the only one - it must waste a lot of otherwise productive time.

It's not a victimless crime, either, if the "Microsoft Technical Department: do manage to "help" someone.

E.

PS: IP telephony might require legislation to pull people like Skype (Microsoft) into line, but that's not impossible either.

 

[graduate_owner]

Yes Eric, I am sure more could be done by the so-called powers that be to protect the public from these nuisance callers, if only the will was there.