Windows scam phone calls

[AndyLandy]

Yea, had that in The Netherlands a few months ago.. Knew right away what he wanted so toyed around with him and said I do not have a windows key but an 'A' key.. After 5 minutes he asked me.. I don't understand.. You speak of workbench .. What is that.. I tried to explain him.. I said it is an Amiga.. Ah what?? An Amiga.. Remember.. When computers were fun?? He then asked me if i had another computer.. Sure.. Same thing all over with the MacBook.. No Run or Windows key but a Command Key.. Oh oh.. That is a Mac then.. I said yes and now I had my giggles and you can f**** off you scamming little A hole

That's what I did the last time someone tried that stunt on me. I kept the little going for about half-an-hour. I consider it my civic duty to waste the time of these snotty little barstewards.

 

[protek]

How about an application that to the prosective scam artist shows as the remote desktop connection but in reality doesn't allow anything to be performed on user's computer. Instead, it would render the scammers operating system unusable.

 

[AmiNeo]

There must be a way to trace these barstewards by the IP address they use when trying to initiate the remote desktop connection? I guess theyd probably use proxy servers though :roll:

 

[tokyoracer]

Yes same here. I lead them on by talking about one of my vintage machines. Though it got to a stage I couldn't be arsed to do that either.

 

[AmiNeo]

For me these days when I encounter them its just "(Foreign accent) Hello I'm calling from Microsoft about an issue you have with your computer?"

*Hangs up

 

[freehand]

They seem to get really ****ed at me after about 15 mins telling them I am having trouble booting my system, round about the time I say "computer is asking me to rewind tape and press play again"

 

[Harrison]

I might load an A500 with KS1.3 from floppy disk next time they ring. I'm sure they will enjoy the lovely loading sounds.

There must be a way to trace these barstewards by the IP address they use when trying to initiate the remote desktop connection? I guess theyd probably use proxy servers though :roll:

If someone could get hold of the program they make you download, wouldn't it be possible to de-construct it and get such information?

 

[roberthazelby]

I've stopped receiving the Windows scam calls, and instead these have been replaced with various Indian callers asking if I'd take part in a customer survey.

Normally my response is to either shout abuse down the phone and then hang up, or simply hang up straight away.

The last time I had a "Windows" phone call I told the bloke that he was a scam artist and full of sh1t. He sounded absolutely dumbstruck.

 

[Powerpie5000]

I have caller ID on my home phone and never answer if the number is withheld or if it shows as international.... Not had one of those nuisance calls in a little while now.

 

[woodycool]

I'm so tempted to setup a dummy pc for them to access next time they ring. Add some nice surprise payloads they can trigger that will actually test their real abilities to fix an infected pc, hoping it will spread around their network first.

I did pretty much that on the last occasion.

I had a Windows XP virtual machine and let them log in to that.
Amazingly, I noticed they were using a DEMO VERSION of LogMeIn Rescue why the hell use a demo version? .... tight wads! With all the money they are scamming out of people they can afford to buy a a license!!!!

I just left them there downloading their program and trying to steal information, nothing of which was on said VM .... then after about 10 minutes, I let the cat out of the bag and using the chat box, told them that I work as an IT support techy and that I've just wasted their time letting them log in to a dummy virtual machine .... I've never seen anyone disconnect a remote session so rapidly before

---------- Post added at 19:11 ---------- Previous post was at 19:10 ----------

There must be a way to trace these barstewards by the IP address they use when trying to initiate the remote desktop connection? I guess theyd probably use proxy servers though :roll:

If someone could get hold of the program they make you download, wouldn't it be possible to de-construct it and get such information?

I'll have a look and see if I still have it on my VM, can't remember whether I deleted it or not and haven't fired up the VM since.

 

[Phipscube]

We don't usually get scam calls in Denmark, but a few months ago we had "silent" callers. After a few of these I started to write down the (Long) numbers. Our phone has caller ID. Then googled the numbers, all sorts of bad info came about these, and the reason why they say nothing and hang up is to get you to wonder who it was and call back, so you pay THEIR bill! Then apparently they would try similar things with accessing your PC etc. We never bothered calling back of course, and I told my wife not to answer if the numbers appeared.

Then soon after (we were getting up to 5 calls a day, mostly whilst at work so we didn't get bothered by the phone ringing) it stopped and the newspapers talked about how it was a big scam and made everyone aware. I think the culrpits got caught. Nothing since.

 

[Harrison]

We used to get loads of those silent calls, but they also mostly stopped here too. I still get the odd one but very rare. The ones that really bug me are when they ring on a Sunday. Had one ring at 6am and we answered thinking it was something serious. You should of heard the earful my wife gave the guy about waking the baby.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[FOL]

My wife had one of these windows calls.
She told them "No its my husbands computer, goodbye" then hung up, .

 

[limboy777]

When I know its a scammer/timewaster, I answer the phone to "jimmy savilles phone how can I help!"

 

[slk486]

We're not listed on our mobiles and have no phone connected to our landline at all, so all we get are the occasional but equally annoying sellers of this and that. Newspapers mostly.

 

[Phipscube]

Actually speaking of mobile Harrasment. My wife is getting called twice a week from charities, she just cuts the call off. We used to pay nearly £50 a month to various charities, but cut a couple off recently due to them asking for MORE money! So they basically ended up with nothing for their cheek. Those charities are now ringing my wifes phone. I told her she should just answer and tell them why we cancelled and that they should quit calling, but she doesn't like the conflict I think.

I wonder sometimes if these "charities" are sending the money where is should be going. Those kind of tactics stink of "Business" money making.

 

[roy_bates]

to be honest,i dont know which ones are worse for cold calling.


the "windows certified" call centres or the ppi callers.

 

[slk486]

to be honest,i dont know which ones are worse for cold calling.


the "windows certified" call centres or the ppi callers.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a ppi caller?

 

[davideo]

to be honest,i dont know which ones are worse for cold calling.


the "windows certified" call centres or the ppi callers.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a ppi caller?

Payment Protection Insurance SCAM - trying to get you money bank from Mis-sold insurance.

Dave G

 

[Simon_G]

Had a cracker a few weeks ago. This guy calls telling me my computer has given indications that I have a virus and a load of spyware. Had him on the phone for 25 minutes playing the idiot, then just as he was trying to close the deal, I asked him if he had software compatible for the Mac as I don't own a windows based PC. He ranted on about *me* wasting his time then hung up!