Had a call from the computer "repair-guy" today

Comhrá · 16-05-2011 02:34PM #1

Most of you are probably familiar with the "phone-call from Microsoft"
scam doing the rounds.

Well, I got my third such call today so I was kind of ready for him.

I played along when he asked me if I was at my PC, and I said I was.
When he asked me to open whatever file - I forget which one- I asked him if that was a dangerous thing from a security point, and he stalled for a moment and said "It's up to you if you want your computer scanned for harmful viruses or not".

I asked him if he'd just prefer if I gave him my credit-card number now - to save him time - and he started getting angry with me...."What do you mean by that?" I replied that as he was a busy criminal low-life, trying to rob people with his scam, I could save him time, then he really lost his cool and accused me of being the scammer!

I asked him why he didn't get a proper job and stop trying to rob people's money. This exchange went on for about a full minute and I called him a low-life scumbag, etc. and he kept shouting ...."It's you who are the criminal!" before hanging up.

A good laugh on an otherwise quiet Monday morning.

:D:D

Melion · 16-05-2011 02:36PM

My uncle got that call last week, how do they get peoples phone numbers who do actually have computers.

Berty · 16-05-2011 02:48PM

Read about in the Limerick Post / Leader weeks back.

Anyway, tell them you have an Apple and they will likely hang up.

TestTransmission · 16-05-2011 02:56PM

Melion wrote: »

My uncle got that call last week, how do they get peoples phone numbers who do actually have computers.

they don't,they just ring random numbers,the majority of households have some form of laptop/netbook/pc nowadays and quite a large majority of them are probably running a Windows OS

AnCapaillMor · 16-05-2011 02:58PM

They've ringing up the old fella for the past year or so almost on a weekly basis.

Kess73 · 16-05-2011 03:46PM

TestTransmission wrote: »

they don't,they just ring random numbers,the majority of households have some form of laptop/netbook/pc nowadays and quite a large majority of them are probably running a Windows OS

Not true. Some of the callers have the right name for the pc user rather than just the name listed in the phonebook for that number.

jamezy · 16-05-2011 05:34PM

Troll em back thats what i say. Low life POS.

jonski · 16-05-2011 05:41PM

I always try to have a bit of fun with them , drag it out and keep them on the phone thinking they are on to a winner .

Iron Hide · 16-05-2011 05:43PM

Buy a referees whistle and keep it next to the phone, likelihood is they have some sort of headset on and you'll blast the ear off them.

Casperbhoy · 16-05-2011 07:32PM

they prey on the vulnerable, scum:mad:

Stuxnet · 16-05-2011 09:12PM

ive my grandad running linux !! he's no fool !!

decies · 16-05-2011 09:14PM

Weekly in Waterford here, i said I'd have him killed lol

theparish · 16-05-2011 09:24PM

My mother was pestered with these calls,just so happens I answered the phone
after she got 2 calls in the space of 5 minutes.I used some fairly strong language and alot of empty threats,problem solved,not one call since.Just hope he has no Al Queda connections.:D

Jigga · 17-05-2011 12:09AM

I think Fonejacker has alerted a lot of people to these scams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5UEZYeSVqA

Grumpypants · 17-05-2011 11:11AM

got this call myself let him stay talking for ages i acted really worried that my PC could be infected right up to when he asked me what windows i had installed and i told him i ran Linux, he stalled then sputtered oh this is only for windows thanks and hung up !

But as soon as i had hung up i thought i should really have said i had double glazing windows installed.

littlemis · 17-05-2011 12:31PM

We got this call from a non national,as i have no hearing in one ear and only 30% in the other, I hadn't a hope in understanding him,passed the phone to my daughter who said she wasn't being disrespectful but couldn't understand him and could she speak to his supervisor or someone who didn't speak with a thick foreign accent.she told him thick English ,American or Irish would be fine...other guy comes on phone,and stars to get aggressive, and she says the same he began to shout,what language would you like to speak,so she told him ring back in half hour when there will be some one who would be able to understand him. He asks who will I look for and she says, D.S.I xxx ,your man stutters giving out and daughter goes.GOT YA... and long enough for your call to be traced...phone goes dead.

Bicycle · 17-05-2011 11:03PM

They got narked with me and hung up when I started asking them questions about different types of double glazed windows

enfant terrible · 17-05-2011 11:08PM

Grumpypants wrote: »

got this call myself let him stay talking for ages i acted really worried that my PC could be infected right up to when he asked me what windows i had installed and i told him i ran Linux, he stalled then sputtered oh this is only for windows thanks and hung up !

But as soon as i had hung up i thought i should really have said i had double glazing windows installed.

Would they be able t guide you though the process if I said i've Windows 95.

onlyfinewine · 18-05-2011 02:31AM

Had these on before and suggest dealing with them as follows.
Of course they only want to get into the computer and wreak havoc. Best tactic is to agree with everything and then appear to have problems getting the computer to boot up. With luck they will stay on the line for five or ten minutes while you try to solve the problem.
As they only have a spiel to give you they usually won't know how to assist you anyway.
Best thing is when they are eventually getting fed up, to explain to them that the computer is now working and when they ask you to input, you explain that you do not have an internet connection. (It usually leads to some name-calling when they realise they have been "Had".) Best of all it cuts down their calling rate to a trickle and provides good fun if you have time to spare.

DanTheMan91 · 18-05-2011 12:52PM

I had the same crowd phone me every second day for a good 2 weeks, I just tell them "hold on a second and I get my brother, he uses the computer more than me", then I leave the phone down on the table for as long as it takes for them to hang up

BobTheBeat · 18-05-2011 12:55PM

Happened to a relation of a person I work with, and they were charged 200 quid for a 2 year *maintenance* contract, and for a free anti spyware download.

This origin Call centre was based in India, but their voice service is routed through a provider in Ireland, which allowed them a Dublin area CID.

The person in question took the call after the caller said they had gotten their details from an internation router register (??), and that the reason for the call was due to their pc being infected. The caller then initiated a remote support session to the persons computer via an executable downloaded from their site, and pointed out *infected files* on their harddrive. The payment was then processed through a link on their website (this particular organisation use legitimate VISA/Mastercard online payment processing).

All signs point to It being a pretty slick operation and theres no sign of paypal or western union payments, or nuisance software/backdoor agents being installed (checked out the machine myself).
I advised that they cancel all Credit Cards and to not take calls from the company again (they have tried to call back a number of times since).

Everybody should advise any of their non-tech savvy friends/relations of the scam, as its becoming more and more prevalent.

Mental Mickey · 18-05-2011 01:00PM

tippman1 wrote: »

Most of you are probably familiar with the "phone-call from Microsoft"
scam doing the rounds.

Well, I got my third such call today so I was kind of ready for him.

I played along when he asked me if I was at my PC, and I said I was.
When he asked me to open whatever file - I forget which one- I asked him if that was a dangerous thing from a security point, and he stalled for a moment and said "It's up to you if you want your computer scanned for harmful viruses or not".

I asked him if he'd just prefer if I gave him my credit-card number now - to save him time - and he started getting angry with me...."What do you mean by that?" I replied that as he was a busy criminal low-life, trying to rob people with his scam, I could save him time, then he really lost his cool and accused me of being the scammer!

I asked him why he didn't get a proper job and stop trying to rob people's money. This exchange went on for about a full minute and I called him a low-life scumbag, etc. and he kept shouting ...."It's you who are the criminal!" before hanging up.

A good laugh on an otherwise quiet Monday morning. :D:D

I'm in Dublin and I have received that call at least half a dozen times. They keep telling me that "they believe my pc has been running slow". The guy is foreign also(Indian or Pakistani - not sure which?). At the beginning, I just told him that I get my pc checked regularly by the store that I bought it from. Now, when I hear his voice, I just hang up. F***ing scammer.

onlyfinewine · 19-05-2011 09:43AM

Mental Mickey wrote: »

Now, when I hear his voice, I just hang up. F***ing scammer.

Even better if you keep them on the line for as long as possible as it slows them down. After a couple of calls they don't ring you any more!

By the way if you receive a phone call and there is nobody there when you answer it could be them. They have software that records what time of the day you answer a computer generated dummy call so that when they actually ring you they have a better chance of getting through to you.

Mental Mickey · 19-05-2011 11:10AM

onlyfinewine wrote: »

Even better if you keep them on the line for as long as possible as it slows them down. After a couple of calls they don't ring you any more!

By the way if you receive a phone call and there is nobody there when you answer it could be them. They have software that records what time of the day you answer a computer generated dummy call so that when they actually ring you they have a better chance of getting through to you.

:eek: F**king w*****s. Could they be done for harrassment?

Had a call from the computer "repair-guy" today

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