Scam Calls

[KARL]

This is possibly the most appropriate section, although I will also duplicate this in Technology. There is an outfit that calls our number from time to time and over a very poor VOIP line tell me that they have detected a very large number of unauthorised/error/wrong/etc. (depending on which call we refer to) signals/messages coming from my computer, would I please go to my computer and they will instruct me on how to look for the huge number of viruses that are on the computer. When I ask who they are they have previously said that they were from Windows Corporation although today they said they were Windows Support Group. This is of course a scam and I don't entertain it but I don't know what would be the best way to put a spanner in their works, ideally to the extent that they will stop altogether (not just bothering me). I have discussed the matter with the relevant local police department (who were interested) but they did not suggest any way to usefully expose them or even to track their whereabouts. The UK/BT telephone system is one of the most backward in the developed world in that it cannot display/provide numbers for calls made from abroad. The phishers say they are in he UK and give an address and at one stage I got an 0845 number for them, phoned it and got a similarly obviously South Asian voice, but different gender, saying they were a computer servicing company, I passed on the number to the police. Does anyone have any suggestions or interesting experience to relate ?

[AlBags]

They are ar$eholes .. yes .. for sure .. and they want wiping off the face of the planet. However this would be extremely difficult to do.
No-one wants to waste their life or time on these to$$ers.

[boxtops]

Karl, this has been reported on here several times in recent weeks, and we all think/know its a scam. Nobody will ring you up and tell you this - I believe that Microsoft actually have something on their website disassociating themselves from it. They are after your bank details ("so they can fix the problem").
Various solutions have been suggested - registering for the TPS or CPS, getting caller display on your phone, telling them to clear off. Don't be fooled. Tell them you've got a Mac. Tell them you've phoned the police. Just don't answer the phone...

[gen2]

There was an article about them in The Guardian a while back.
According to that, they are based in India at a call centre. Although the methods they use are immoral and potentially dangerous, the article suggested that this particular organisation has become so prolific by staying (just) within the law. What they are 'selling' is a service which mostly consists of installing freely available software that the user could have downloaded for free at any time.

Usually, when a forum gets going against them, one or more 'satisfied customers' come on singing their praises.

My advice is to ignore them, or you could try telling them that you don't have a computer, or you use a Mac.

[joko]

thye want you to authorise remote access so they can trawl through your comp for info

just pretend you are doing it, and act dumb, saying you are following their advice an basically keep them on the line as long as ossible...waste their time...

[KARL]

As I said, I am perfectly aware that it is a scam, I just wish I could seriously cramp their style. As I also said, BT are so useless as not to process the callers' number to the receiver of the call who thus does not know when not to answer, so either you never answer the phone for anybody or else you have to occasionally suffer this irritation. I have hung up on them before but really would like to get hold of some way or somebody to put a stop to it because they must be having some success at their game or else they themselves would simply give up and stop permanently. Thus, there are definitely victims somewhere and that really goes "against my religion".

[VHG]

I have had 3 of these calls I dont think you can ever stop them.

Seems to me somebody is selling names / address / phone number lists to these scammers so they can just ring up as often as they like.

As more and call centres are placed abroad (India etc) it is fairly easy for the people who work in the IT department to copy a list of the people in their customer database on to DVD and then sell it to scammers / criminals.

I would think careflluy before getting too involved. These people are criminals and if you start to upset them too much you never know what may happen.

I am not saying nothing should be done but it is up to the telephone companies, the people who "run" the interent, the police and government departments to stop this sort of thing, not individuals.

One suggestion if you get these calls is to get a loud whistle, or maybe one those klaxon horns, and blast it down the line hoping to damage their ear drums.

[crystalbee27]

perhaps next time they call say 'hello this is <insert name of your local police station> PC smith how can I help you? - won't help other potential victims but maybe will get your number put on a 'do not call' list.

[KARL]

Crystalbee, as I have pointed out, there is no way of being aware who is calling from abroad because all you see on a BT fed caller-ID is "International". For some people this might be the only source of overseas calls but in my case it could be any of a large number of perfectly legitimate callers. This is because UK exchanges are very backward, all the parties I call abroad can see my number before they pick up the phone because they are years (decades in some cases) ahead of the UK. I don't want to start off with a threatening reply on picking up the phone to answer a call from abroad made by someone whose call I welcome.

[Dee Sa]

I just said bo**ocks and put the phone down, not very lady like from an old bird like me but it works, its my standard answer to "having" won a free cruise/holiday/car/prize.

[sir.prize]

Dee sa. Love your response - up and at 'em eh!

However, I received a call from in June of this year and it did turn out to be genuine. It was from a national newspaper and I HAD won a fantastic trip to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

[jake-the-peg]

Unfortunately there is not enough resource to track down and deal with these sorts of people when they are all too busy trying to stop wikileaks

[mike11111]

"They are ar$eholes .. yes .. for sure .. and they want wiping ..."
Had to have a little smile at that one.