Dodgy phonecall re Malware - Advise please.

Arkmar

Hi all, not sure if you can help here or I'm just being SUPER paranoid but I received two phone calls this morning from an unknown number from a guy who said he was from windows tech support (indian accent) and that he was ringing because they had info to say that I had downloaded malware & that he needed me to go to my computer to do some things to prevent in future. He called at first and I could just barely hear him & I could hear my own voice repeating over the line so I gave him an excuse that my battery was dying & hung up. He rang back about an hour later and was very persistent that I go to my computer so he could instruct me. I told him I was too busy & he said he'll ring back tomorrow.

I ran Malwarebytes and nothing was detected. I did have a problem with my computer last week but I got it sorted.

It just sounded a bit dodgy to me. has anyone heard of windows tech support ringing ppl to protect them over the phone, I haven't, maybe I'm paranoid but can someone tell me if that is normal procedures???

He gave me no ID or confirmation of any sort that he was from windows.

Thanks.

dark crystal

It's a scam.

I've had numerous phonecalls from an Indian call centre saying the same thing and coincidentally, a virus has mysteriously appeared on my computer, either before or after each of these phonecalls. They are really hard to get rid of, too.

I don't know how they do it, but be firm with them when they call. Ask them how they got your details and then tell them to take you off their calling list. I have a whistle handy for when they call now...:P

Arkmar

Holy crap, he was really insistant too. How on earth would he get my details. You know what that sucks cos if it was my husband he rang he'd have just done it.

mockerydawg

They've called my house several times over the last few months. It is a scam. The fact that dark crystal got a virus around that time was just a coincidence. Take a look at this article here for more info:
http://www.jameswiseman.com/blog/2010/06/03/windows-support-telephone-scam-corrupt-files-and-many-viruses/

Every time they have called we've requested to be removed from the call list, which has not happened yet. On the last call we asked to speak with the manager, got his name and email and requested to be removed from the call list. Time will tell....

Arkmar

Thanks guys, just looked at that link, it's def a popular scam... I'll give him socks tomorrow when he rings back.

crazyderk

Its great fun to take the p*ss out of them,
I kept on of the phone for over 40 mins (doing nothing of course!)
"ok sire go to start run and type in this code r as in robert"
"im sorry i cant do that"
"why not"
My computers not on"

You get the message
I was eventually passed to second level support as my "internet wasn't working"

They eventually got that I was taking the piss after i kept saying the wonders of technology today and randomly inserting the word banana hammock

there's a whole thread on it here but I couldn't find the link to it
(scratch that I was to lazy to look for it)

tricky D

mockerydawg wrote: »

Every time they have called we've requested to be removed from the call list, which has not happened yet. On the last call we asked to speak with the manager, got his name and email and requested to be removed from the call list. Time will tell....

They won't take you off a call list. They don't give a damn. It's like asking a thief not to burgle your house.

These tossers try to get you to log in to www.logmein123.com (which is a legitimate service) to get access to your PC, then upload some malware and often get you to pay via credit card to get some virus removed. You can sometimes even hear a manager prompting the caller to go for the CC details if they think they've got a sucker on the other end.

Best is to waste their time, a whistle is good too.

Here's the main thread: Weird phone call! "online pc doctor" - Only thread on these scam calls please

Arkmar

Ha ha excellent, I will definately try to have fun with him tomorrow so.

kev8t6

Ive been getting these calls since last week up to 3 times a day now.I got one a few months ago and i told the guy i know its a scam and told him to never ring this number again.Im really annoyed because hes been ringing and when my mother answered he doesent say anything so its more like malacious calls now.He hangs up straight away when i say im not interested so i dont even get a chance to say anything.I would not mind as much but he sounds really kind of weird on the phone.Has anyone had this kind of problem and is there anything i can do?:mad::mad::mad:

Gavin "shels"

kev8t6 wrote: »

Ive been getting these calls since last week up to 3 times a day now.I got one a few months ago and i told the guy i know its a scam and told him to never ring this number again.Im really annoyed because hes been ringing and when my mother answered he doesent say anything so its more like malacious calls now.He hangs up straight away when i say im not interested so i dont even get a chance to say anything.I would not mind as much but he sounds really kind of weird on the phone.Has anyone had this kind of problem and is there anything i can do?:mad::mad::mad:

Just mess with them, they rarely ring them. I've had about one phonecall in the last 6 weeks from them, last time before that I messed with them.

BostonB

kev8t6 wrote: »

Ive been getting these calls since last week up to 3 times a day now.I got one a few months ago and i told the guy i know its a scam and told him to never ring this number again.Im really annoyed because hes been ringing and when my mother answered he doesent say anything so its more like malacious calls now.He hangs up straight away when i say im not interested so i dont even get a chance to say anything.I would not mind as much but he sounds really kind of weird on the phone.Has anyone had this kind of problem and is there anything i can do?:mad::mad::mad:

Use an air horn or a loud whistle.