"I am calling you from the Windows Department of Technical Support"

A pint o Guinness

Yeah these still exist.
For anyone who doesn't know. Indian guy cold calls landline claiming to he from Microsoft/Some phony company affiliated with MS, gets remote access to computer and attempts to charge you for a fake service.
My parents got one in February and nearly fell for it (old piece of ****e computer we didn't really need got bricked because they refused to pay), I wasn't there to intervene. According to them the guy said that he got our number from eircom (likely pulled from some directory).
What I like doing now is just screwing with them with a fake Bollywood accent whenever they call "No I am Windows Support Department you are impostor!"
Anyone still get these? I heard some older people lost money to it, makes me sick to the stomach.

Mint Sauce

A pint o Guinness wrote: »

Yeah these still exist.
For anyone who doesn't know. Indian guy cold calls landline claiming to he from Microsoft/Some phony company affiliated with MS, gets remote access to computer and attempts to charge you for a fake service.
My parents got one in February and nearly fell for it (old piece of ****e computer we didn't really need got bricked because they refused to pay), I wasn't there to intervene. According to them the guy said that he got our number from eircom (likely pulled from some directory).
What I like doing now is just screwing with them with a fake Bollywood accent whenever they call "No I am Windows Support Department you are impostor!"
Anyone still get these? I heard some older people lost money to it, makes me sick to the stomach.

Never heard of it.

A pint o Guinness

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Never heard of it.

I know people in the US, UK, Australia, NZ and even Sweden who get them regularly, pretty ridiculous.

Landoflemon

There's a very long thread here about the same thing.

Grayson

My mother has gotten them a few times. the first time she called me from her mobile whilst she had them on the other line.

pragmatic1

Got a call from them yesterday. Scumbags.

Teagwee

I had been getting a lot of these calls over the past few months, including the silent version from the same numbers, which disconnected after a few moments - obviously automated dialers. These calls were coming in several times a day until late at night and were hugely annoying. After one day when I received 15 such calls, I was tearing my hair out!

I then discovered a phone (in Argos no less) with nuisance call blocking and I'm sorted. Withheld numbers get sent silently to the answering machine and up to 15 other numbers are totally blocked (the usual offenders from 'Microsoft'). I informed family and friends who have withheld numbers that they would get the answering machine unless they dialed 142 in front of my number before calling - the choice is theirs.

In addition, I can silence all calls at night (or whenever) but keep VIP numbers that always get through (mainly family), so the drunken wrong numbers at 3am looking for a lift home are a thing of the past. The peace is absolute bliss!

bnt

Tell them you use Linux or a Mac, that'll keep the call real short. "Start button? What Start button?"

corner of hells

Teagwee wrote: »

I had been getting a lot of these calls over the past few months, including the silent version from the same numbers, which disconnected after a few moments - obviously automated dialers. These calls were coming in several times a day until late at night and were hugely annoying. After one day when I received 15 such calls, I was tearing my hair out!

I then discovered a phone (in Argos no less) with nuisance call blocking and I'm sorted. Withheld numbers get sent silently to the answering machine and up to 15 other numbers are totally blocked (the usual offenders from 'Microsoft'). I informed family and friends who have withheld numbers that they would get the answering machine unless they dialed 142 in front of my number before calling - the choice is theirs.

In addition, I can silence all calls at night (or whenever) but keep VIP numbers that always get through (mainly family), so the drunken wrong numbers at 3am looking for a lift home are a thing of the past. The peace is absolute bliss!

Wait till you get a call from the" Argos technical support department ".

XxMCRxBabyxX

Pretended to follow the instructions of the last guy who called up to a point where I then said that the screen had gone blank. What filed was a load of abuse from Mr Technical Support asking if I thought he was a fool and telling me what a fool I was for not wanting to fix my computer. They're getting fairly angry these days it seems. My dad's life was threatened by another one.

And I still don't know how to save my computer from the dangerous virus.

A pint o Guinness

XxMCRxBabyxX wrote: »

Pretended to follow the instructions of the last guy who called up to a point where I then said that the screen had gone blank. What filed was a load of abuse from Mr Technical Support asking if I thought he was a fool and telling me what a fool I was for not wanting to fix my computer. They're getting fairly angry these days it seems. My dad's life was threatened by another one.

And I still don't know how to save my computer from the dangerous virus.

I actually saw a video where two guys gave them access to a virtual machine with Internet Explorer redirecting to an actual virus. Unsurprisingly, it was an actual infection so the scammer couldn't do anything to "fix" it.

XxMCRxBabyxX

Pretended to follow the instructions of the last guy who called up to a point where I then said that the screen had gone blank. What filed was a load of abuse from Mr Technical Support asking if I thought he was a fool and telling me what a fool I was for not wanting to fix my computer. They're getting fairly angry these days it seems. My dad's life was threatened by another one.

And I still don't know how to save my computer from the dangerous virus.

MRnotlob606

i like to have the craic and ask them what they are wearing

Pinch Flat

I usually just repeat back the order from my local Indian takeaway.

Teagwee

corner of hells wrote: »

Wait till you get a call from the" Argos technical support department ".

A maximum of one call and they'll be on the blocked list :pac:

darkpagandeath

You can keep them on the line until they realise you are talking about Linux

KKkitty

I cleaned my windows with windolene so they're grand.

fussyonion

Get these all the time.
Got one yesterday and after letting the idiot speak for nearly 15 minutes, I said "Oh wait now..I don't have Windows. I have a Mac."
He called me a motherf***** and that he was going to have me killed.
I asked him to ask his Dad if I could have my socks back.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

On one occasion he said he was calling about windows so I thanked him and said two needed replacing. He said OK so I asked it he would recommend PVC or aluminium. He asked if I would turn on my computer so I said that I'd like a quote for the windows, which he said he would give me in a minute. I asked how he could quote me without measuring them. Then he caught on and said it wasn't that type of window and that he was from eircom. I apologised for the confusion and said it was interesting that he was from Eircom as I was a manager with eircom myself. He hung up and that was the last call - 3 weeks ago after daily calls for the previous 2 months. Idiots!

shruikan2553

Havent gotten one yet but if I do Ill yell about jimmy and those video games. Then put the phone down and act out domestic abuse turned manslaughter. I doubt they would call back.

Woofstuff

Pinch Flat wrote: »

I usually just repeat back the order from my local Indian takeaway.

I'll have chicken korma..mild.. With boiled rice and a portion of naan bread, thank you sir.

TroutMask

Had a great time winding up one of these oafs. Strung him along forever, pretending the machine was slow to start, that it crashed, had to find my password etc. Finally he gives me some instruction involving the Control key (finding my IP address, no doubt). I was getting a bit bored so I finally revealed my Mac-ness by saying:
'Is that the one with the Apple?'
He screams: 'YOU ARE ON A MAC ... A MAC!!!!"
I couldn't resist so I say: 'Yes, but I have Windows on a VM" ..... Silence ...... then he bites: 'Which version of Windows?' And we're off again, with him waiting for me to boot into the mythical Windows XP partition on my laptop; of course there are even more 'problems', finding passwords again etc. Finally he gave up .... sure was fun while it lasted

UCDVet

One of the perks of using Windows....they have the resources to provide support. With Linux, you wouldn't get a support phone call, you'd have to Google for a few hours, check random forum posts, cut-n-paste random command lines you don't understand (and hopes it doesn't delete everything).

bnt

UCDVet wrote: »

One of the perks of using Windows....they have the resources to provide support. With Linux, you wouldn't get a support phone call, you'd have to Google for a few hours, check random forum posts, cut-n-paste random command lines you don't understand (and hopes it doesn't delete everything).

Yet - assuming you're right - some of us enjoy the process, for the same reasons people fix their own cars, or play a guitar rather than just listen to whatever's on the radio. You're not just fixing a problem, you're learning how things work, maybe even preventing future problems, getting more done than you expected, or just making your life easier.

You have the sense of accomplishment you get from doing something yourself, rather than paying someone else to do it for you. An added benefit, to bring us back on topic: if you know even a little bit about how your computer works with the Internet, you can see through scams like these. Terms like "IP Address" will not confuse or impress you. :cool:

desertcircus

Has nobody been tempted to try some more adventurous methods of keeping them on the line? Claiming you've got a dead body in a third-floor apartment in the middle of the city, you broke your computer in half producing the dead body, and you'll absolutely, definitely do exactly what they say and buy whatever they want if they can just talk you through the best method of disposing of the corpse?

A pint o Guinness

desertcircus wrote: »

Has nobody been tempted to try some more adventurous methods of keeping them on the line? Claiming you've got a dead body in a third-floor apartment in the middle of the city, you broke your computer in half producing the dead body, and you'll absolutely, definitely do exactly what they say and buy whatever they want if they can just talk you through the best method of disposing of the corpse?

Then just give them access to a clean Windows VM with a zipbomb disguised as a document called "bank details".

biko

Well known scam at this stage. Many threads in AH and Computers about it.

manutd4life

Got a call from them today and the guy on the end of the phone got quite mad at me.

He told me to get my computer and turn it on. He said he would wait while I get me laptop. So I just sat there watching TV for about 10 minutes and then told him that I didn't have a computer. He started complaining that I kept him on hold for 10 minutes and got quite angry when I kept telling him that I forgot I didn't have a computer

silly

They ring my work place all the time , i just say "oh my god!!!! a Virus!!!!1 i'll get my boss....thanks so much" then leave them on hold - one guy held for 17 mins...yet they still ring...

LizzieJones

A pint o Guinness wrote: »

Yeah these still exist.
For anyone who doesn't know. Indian guy cold calls landline claiming to he from Microsoft/Some phony company affiliated with MS, gets remote access to computer and attempts to charge you for a fake service.
My parents got one in February and nearly fell for it (old piece of ****e computer we didn't really need got bricked because they refused to pay), I wasn't there to intervene. According to them the guy said that he got our number from eircom (likely pulled from some directory).
What I like doing now is just screwing with them with a fake Bollywood accent whenever they call "No I am Windows Support Department you are impostor!"
Anyone still get these? I heard some older people lost money to it, makes me sick to the stomach.

I love watching these on Youtube. Great for a laugh.

LizzieJones

desertcircus wrote: »

Has nobody been tempted to try some more adventurous methods of keeping them on the line?

Check out the Youtube videos on this.

Johnny_Fontane

They got my relation on this last week.

It was too late by the time I found out.

They took 153, 253 and 353 via western union on his card. Kept on coming back saying that card doesnt work. He gave them a german card aswell.

I found out by pure chance from my mum as it was happening. I was asking her, how he was getting on (in general) and she said, ah he's on the phone to microsoft trying to get his computer fixed and they only charge €8! Tried to stop it and got him to cancel asap but it was too late. In the space of 20 minutes nearly €700 was gone.

He's a guy in his late 60's and it nearly killed him, he was seriously depressed for at least a week.

My question in all of this is simple.
How did BOI allow this transaction in his credit card? I hold them responsible. guy has never used western union in his life, suddenly three transactions in 4 minutes to WEstern union in India. At amounts of 153, 253 and 353. How in the world did he not get a call from them to verify the transactions.

I have gotten a number of calls to verify purchases when I'm abroad and at home with MBNA. I just cannot understand how these transactions didnt set off some sort of alarm bells in BOI.

And BOI are washing their hands of it. Its his fault. He gave the numbers, even though he agreed that only €8 would be taken off card.

Funnily enough, he got a call from his german bank about the transactions and they stopped them from going through.

flutered

a revieved a call from them yesterday, i usedthe shrill whistle so loudly that my grandkids for a fright, dunno about the guy on the other end, if he had headfones on i guess he may have a thouch of tintinitus, ah well its a riskey buisness.

Gongoozler

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

I hold them responsible.

Ah come on, really??

nelly17

The word ubuntu normally just makes them hang up

lynski

nelly17 wrote: »

The word ubuntu normally just makes them hang up

not so after I played with caller no 1 and eventually said oh maybe i cant find that button because i am using that thing mmm what did you call it, oh yeah ubuntu. i got a 'senior technical adviser' call me back I held him on the line while my child got some random crap they wanted, then while i booted, logged in and 'answered' the door and when they gave me the url they wanted me to go to i hung up. they called me back again, oh we got disconnected, did we?, yes yes, ah no you scumbag i hung up, what what?, you are a scumbag I hung up.

On a serious note I am pretty convinced that the calls are being facilitated by the use of third world countries for 'customer service' as they knew some details that point in that direction.

Bog Standard User

people who get scammed deserve to be duped... when has the real microsoft or eircom ever called you up out of the blue to tell you that you have a virus or slow connection?... people need to stop being so naive

Day Lewin

I get these so regularly that I have a well-tried method which I have used often.
I have bookmarked a couple of YouTube videos, about computer repairs or software, in some Indian language such as Urdu or Bengali etc
Whenever I get the scam calls, I just call up the Youtube and lay the phone receiver down beside the speakers.
(Physician, heal thyself!)
Pick up the phone after a few minutes and they're always gone.

Adamantium

Bog Standard User wrote: »

people who get scammed deserve to be duped... when has the real microsoft or eircom ever called you up out of the blue to tell you that you have a virus or slow connection?... people need to stop being so naive

Your cover has been blown, Bog Standard User. If that is your real name..? :pac:

Johnny_Fontane

Gongoozler wrote: »

Ah come on, really??

I'm sorry but yes. I dont understand how transactions like this dont set alarm bells ringing all over the shop within the banks.

guy is in his late 60's.
Never used western union before
amounts of €153, €253 and €353 in a matter of minutes.

Funnily enough the german bank didnt let it go through.

In this overzealous time of incredible tight AML, yes, I'm very surprised, that BOI did not call the cardholder.

Tea 1000

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

I'm sorry but yes. I dont understand how transactions like this dont set alarm bells ringing all over the shop within the banks.

guy is in his late 60's.
Never used western union before
amounts of €153, €253 and €353 in a matter of minutes.

Funnily enough the german bank didnt let it go through.

In this overzealous time of incredible tight AML, yes, I'm very surprised, that BOI did not call the cardholder.

I agree, the bank should be pro-active. AIB aren't too bad, and MBNA are very good for this. He should have pretended he didn't give out any details to anyone and who accessed his card? They'd just have reimbursed him!

RoboRat

I'm sorry but yes. I dont understand how transactions like this dont set alarm bells ringing all over the shop within the banks.

I agree, I have used BOI for transferring money via WU (genuine transactions) and both times BOI have restricted until they got a hold of me to verify that they were real.

My brother got done by scammers. they rang him and told him that they were from Microsoft and he had to update his windows, gave him some info that they obviously got from his IP and he was hooked. Thankfully he rang me... I just told him that Microsoft has hundreds of millions of customers globally and how could they possibly call them all? That made some sense to him and he managed to cancel his cards.

Johnny_Fontane

Tea 1000 wrote: »

I agree, the bank should be pro-active. AIB aren't too bad, and MBNA are very good for this. He should have pretended he didn't give out any details to anyone and who accessed his card? They'd just have reimbursed him!

thats the thing. The guy is 100% honest, hes german. BOI have wiped their hands of it.

I'm with MBNA and to be honest, have had a number of calls in the past.

Not sure where he can go though.
Anyone have any ideas of what he can do in relation to it? BOI have been a disgrace so far, putting him on hold for 40 minutes (more than once) and shopping him around from person to person.

SoapMcTavish

These guys call me regularly - from "windows Support", and I ask if they can hold while I just finish something, then I put on some pron ( pref some desi stuff especially for them )and put the phone next to speaker ...... they tend to listen for 10-20 mins before hanging up .....

miss no stars

Bog Standard User wrote: »

people who get scammed deserve to be duped... when has the real microsoft or eircom ever called you up out of the blue to tell you that you have a virus or slow connection?... people need to stop being so naive

Not everyone's tech savvy. My grandmother has an internet connection so that anyone who stays with her can get online. If they rang her she'd fall for it hook line and sinker. She doesn't even have a computer but she'd volunteer "oh is that for the internet?" or something like that to them. She's from a different era, internet and laptops and ipads are a dark art to her. I was sent up to figure out why her internet wasn't working. She had the router unplugged. :rolleyes: If they told her a virus could get in she'd probably be thinking "I can't afford to be unwell, sure I'm unwell enough as it is! And with my osteo problems I can't afford to be off my food" and whip out the credit card.

I must leave her a set of instructions actually about what to do if someone phones about microsoft windows. The other risk is she'd think it'd be for her actual windows and would pay over the phone for a new set of double glazed windows and they'd just take the money.

My nanny doesn't deserve to be scammed, she's just old and doesn't understand technology.

I actually had a call from one a couple of weeks ago. Their accents are getting better. This guy's accent was almost American. It was so good you'd hardly believe it.

mjbo

desertcircus wrote: »

Has nobody been tempted to try some more adventurous methods of keeping them on the line? Claiming you've got a dead body in a third-floor apartment in the middle of the city, you broke your computer in half producing the dead body, and you'll absolutely, definitely do exactly what they say and buy whatever they want if they can just talk you through the best method of disposing of the corpse?

Cannot say I was as adventurous as this but I had one of these calls yesterday from "Peter" and knew immediately that it was a scam. I decided to play along and first started saying (all seriously) that I couldn't find the start button on the computer and could he help me. I eventually said that I think I found the button but it was a big red button and it had a sign over it saying do not push (a bit reminiscent of Dougal in Fr Ted on the airplane). Decided to move on then and told Peter that the police were watching me and if anyone called about my computer that they would also like to speak to that person. I asked Peter if I gave him the telephone number and name of the policeman would he mind giving him a call. Peter kept saying yes to this and unfortunately I giggled so he tweaked what was going on. That was when the swearing started on his part so I decided to join in and give as good as I was getting. He was very frustrated at the end of the call for wasting his time so after one last f**k o*f from me I just hung up. Believe me I really enjoyed it and am thinking up what I will say the next time I get a call. The dead body sounds a good one so will keep that in reserve. My wife had one of these calls a few weeks back but she was too nice and just said we had no computer.

gidget

We've actually had 3 of these in as many weeks, we've had Victor, Mark & a lady called Geeta so far. Apparently there's a Microsoft Headquarters in Dublin 8 nowadays. Geeta got my father & the call went " Hi this is Geeta from ????", my dad's response "Ah hello Geeta, this is Detective Sargent William McGonagle from Bridewell Garda Station", call was hastily terminated.

solomafioso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UE_Q1pprEg

spurious

I get these every so often.

Latest one I pretended to be very worried about the 'problem with my computer' and asked was it the one upstairs or the downstairs one.

'The downstairs one' he said.

'Oh' I said 'the one that has Linux on it?' 'Oh no, the upstairs one' he said.

Gave me a bit of a laugh for a few minutes and then I hung up.

Riamfada

I had them on the phone for 30 minutes. It was great crack. I love these calls

I usually just click random stuff so when they ask me to press start I usually open firefox and tell them im ive googled "start" but not sure what they mean. When I eventually get to the registry I respond with "ive a masters in computer science so **** off"

solomafioso

Riamfada wrote: »

I had them on the phone for 30 minutes. It was great crack. I love these calls

Fixed. :pac: