Strange call claiming to be from Windows operation systems

[Mrs E Blackadder]

I have just received a strange call, claiming to be from Windows Operating Systems.

 

A woman called Monica with an American accent asked for me by name and said that my computer was showing a lot of system errors. I asked how she had got the number (the call came from abroad) and she said that they had traced it through their records using my computer ID number. As I don't recall giving my name or phone number to anyone from such a thing, I told her that I was sick of getting phone calls from phishers and [problematic] and put the phone down.

 

My computer certainly seems to be functioning correctly and I haven't had any error messages or anything of that sort.

 

Has anyone else received a call like this, and did it turn out to be genuine?

[dx100uk]

yep common [problem]

 

dx

[Mrs E Blackadder]

Thanks DX. I had a quick look on the internet for anything else like this and there are literally hundreds of people complaining about these [problematic]. By the look of it, most people aren't taken in by them but I suppose it only takes a few not to realise and these b*stards have got enough of your details to empty your bank account.

 

I'm glad I put the phone down on them. God help them if they should try calling me again!

[Yesideez]

I was called to a friend's house to fix her computer.

 

She'd received a call claiming to be from Microsoft telling her that her PC was infected with a virus and they detected this as it was sending out signals which they picked up on. She's very trusting and gave them some money before I popped around to fix it myself.

 

Just before I turned up they called again trying to get more money and she told them someone was coming round to fix her computer. They tried to persuade her not to let anyone else fix it but she soon made her excuses to end the call when my friend told them I'm an IT expert.

 

They made the mistake of calling when I was there as well. My friend gave me the phone and I played with them for a bit (enjoyed that!) then told them I knew for a fact that everything they were saying was lying and that they would never have another penny off my friend. She hung up.

 

I then called the police and registered the event with them. They told me they were aware of it but because the calls were coming from abroad there was nothing they could do and suggested I phone Microsoft and report it to them. I did and Microsoft were very eager to know about them.

 

In the end all I had to do was run MBAM and uninstall some junk that had gone in at some point.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Yesideez
Typo (event missing a "t")

[Mrs E Blackadder]

It's lucky for your freind that she had you to hand, but just think how many people are being taken in by these [problematic]. Once they have access to your computer they could get hold of any amount of information including your passwords.

 

These people decided to call me back as well - sadly for them though it was at quarter to 2 this morning. I was not amused and I doubt they were either after I had finished with them!

[Yesideez]

I know and it annoys me no end when I hear of people getting taken in for scams.

 

If I get called out to fix a computer most of the time I only charge for my fuel and ask for a hot drink as I can't justify the high extortionate costs charged by shops when they don't do much.

[dx100uk]

agreed!!!

 

 

dx

[Mrs E Blackadder]

These people are definately insane. Having called me at 1.45 this morning, waking me and the rest of the household up, the stupid b*ggers rang again this evening. Good job they are overseas...

[Yesideez]

If I had a call from them I'd play dumb and play with them on the phone as long as I could.

 

The longer I can keep them occupied and not calling someone who might fall for their scams it would make me very happy.

 

(I'd also get that warm squishy feeling inside)

[Yesideez]

btw keep a small whistle by your phone like the football refs use - when they call you blow it as hard as you can down the phone as long as you can

[Mrs E Blackadder]

I have something better than a whistle ... teenage sons who object to being woken up at quarter to two in the morning! I just let them loose on the callers. It's quite amusing really

[slick132]

Hi Mrs EB,

 

I started a thread about this some time back on the Microsoft forums and had some useful input - http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/xpsecurity/thread/be88f47d-a1ba-4b19-9303-4520575a8d9a/

 

The company names differ but the [problem] method, of scaring you into believing you have serious probs which these "experts certified by Microsoft" can sort for you, remains similar.

 

They're con artists and can do nothing for you that you cannot do yourself.

 

[Yesideez]

That was an interesting read - thanks for posting.

 

The crazy thing is, I told my friend to notify her bank and change all her passwords and to arrange a time for me to go round and rebuild Windows when she had enough time but I never had a call back. She's so trusting and doesn't think anyone can be so evil!

[Mrs E Blackadder]

That's what they rely on though isn't it, the people who really believe others wouldn't do such a thing.

 

These people just won't stop calling me. Three times yesterday, with less than 5 seconds between two of the calls! Interesting that they used to just ask for me, but since my sons (whose voices have now broken) have started answering their calls they now ask for Mr B as well. Presumably they think that if they can't persuade Mrs B to part with her hard earned cash, then maybe Mr B might be more stupid

 

Obviously it makes no difference whether you tell them politely to sling their hook, or you shout 'eff off' down the phone at them, they still think that they can call you back to con you. Poor soles. They really need to get out more. Perhaps if they call again I will ask them to hold and then I will put the phone down next to Sky channel 0169. I think they will enjoy the music!

 

Thanks for the link to the Microsoft forums slick. I am already a member and have read loads on there about this [problem]. If it is so prevelant I wonder why Microsoft aren't trying to do something about it, after all it is their reputation that is being shot to pieces by the [problematic].

[Mrs E Blackadder]

NEW ALERT!!!

 

Had yet another call from these people today, only this time they wanted to talk to me about my BT landline (and just to make sure I knew what they were talking about, the woman said "the line that you are speaking to me on now". Obviously, having failed to convince me that they are Global Something or other, they are now claiming to be Someone or Other Telecom and have decided that if they can't [problem] me about my computer they will have a go at something else.

 

Just one problem, my landline isn't in my name so BT won't ever discuss anything about it with me, only the account holder. As far as BT are concerned, I don't even exist!!! How these people could link my name with a BT (or any other) landline is seriously laughable and just proves they are [problematic]. Sadly they hung up before I could have a bit of fun with them. Still, never mind, expect they will call again tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that.....

[Yesideez]

I love to waste their time if I get callers like that.

 

Pretend to be so thick you make a plank of wood look like a computer. It's amazing how far you can actually go with them before they get bored. They're concentrated so much on your money that "hang on, is this a wind up?" doesn't enter their minds.

 

More time I can keep them on the phone the less chance someone has of being scammed.

[qa19]

sadly though as an IT engineer I know there will be many older people taken in by this [problem]. I tell every single person who encounters rogue AVs or phone calls like this to get a second opinion on everything before giving someone credti card details over the phone or internet.

[locutus]

My advice is don't give credit / debit card details to any incoming calls. If someone offers something you want on a sales call, get a number and google them before you call them back.

[Old Snowy]

Had a call from similar [problematic] some weeks ago being quite insistent that my computer was displaying many Windows errors. The caller - a gentleman who probably hails from the Indian sub-continent - asked me if I was near the computer and if it was on. I was and it was and, being interested in seeing how this obvious [problem] would play out, asked him what I needed to do. He told me that I needed to click on the "Start" button and then select "Control Panel". After some minutes of seemingly hunting around I told him that I couldn't find the "Start" button and, being honest, added that I couldn't remember having ever seen one.

 

The caller, clearly in a call-centre/boiler-room somewhere (a lot of call-centre type noise in the background) became quite agitated and told me to put the cursor in the bottom left hand corner of my screen and click on the button there that had the word "Start" on it. I told him again that there was no button with the word "Start" on it but there was a purple button. He told me to click on it, which I did, and all of my open windows disappeared from the screen. When I told him he started to get quite annoyed asking me if there was anyone else with me who might know a bit more about computers. I assured him there wasn't.

 

Calming himself he told me to click on the button again to see what happened. Miraculously all of the windows appeared again! I told him I was pleased as there had been some things I was working on before he called me and I really didn't want to have to do all the work again. Then he asked me if I knew what "right-clicking" was and asked me to "right-click" on the purple button and, then, to tell him what I saw.

 

I said "It says, 'Help', 'About' and 'Remove from Panel'. What do I do now?" He asked me to left click on the word 'About' and tell him what then appeared. I did and told him it says "Show Desktop Button 2.30.2". Now he really became angry. "What in the hell Windows version are you running there?"

 

I said "Oh this isn't Windows I use Linux. So you can't possibly have been picking up Windows error messages from this computer unless those messages were telling you that no MS nonsense had ever been loaded on it". Not too quietly hissing in the background he became apoplectic with rage when I advised him that the [problem] wasn't going to work and that all the time he'd been talking to me he'd not been bothering somebody who didn't recognise him as a [EDIT]. *Click*

[qa19]

I want to get a call now... I'd have soooo much fun and would love to record it and put it on youtube

[Mrs E Blackadder]

They really are people to have fun with. One of my sons is quite appalled that I can be so rude to them when they call, but he is young yet and has little concept of the big wide world of [problematic]! As far as I am concerned, if they think they have the right to call my TPS, Ex directory phone number at all hours of the day and night in an attempt to either ruin my computer, [problem] me of money or (more likely) probably both options, then I have the right to be as obnoxious as I choose.

 

Long live all the people who make the [problematic] lives as miserable as they are making the lives of the people they are [causing problems]...

[speedfreek]

Just had my 4th or is it 5th one of these

 

My computers sending them messages I'm not responding to the messages they are sending me They're sending these messages in a very technical way

 

They've moved from type prefetch to type inf into the run box

 

They refused to answer if this was effecting my download of extreme Brazilian donkey feltching loving tea-baggers 8

 

Or any of the names I could come up with from Sickipedia Got bored bating them after 25 mins

[Bill Shidding]

Hi, my technophobe friend received this call yesterday.

He logged in to log-me-in-123, and allowed the operator access to his computer.

He fell for it, until they requested payment.

It was at that point he decided to call me, and I told him to unplug the ethernet cable and then tell the operator to #### off.

 

After I had figured out the [problem], I found a website that encourages recipients to record and post the calls, here is a linky-

 

http://www.digitaltoast.co.uk/supportonclick-systemrecure-[problem]

 

It is very entertaining!

 

It appears this [problem] is making a comeback.

 

Bill

[surprise]

Unfortunately my ex - 75 years young, only been using a computer for just over 12 months fell hook line and sinker for this Monday evening. Not sure yet how much they have taken him for but he stopped his card last night after I made him aware of this [problem] and he is now getting ready to go to the bank.

 

He can't believe that he has fell for it but the only thing is we have stopped it quickly.

[sillygirl1]

Nice one, when I get my new laptop I am going to load Linux on my old one, I like the portability of the little laptop but need something a bit bigger for indoors.... still eyeing up one of those touchscreen all in one PC/TVs, especially as the price is coming down rapidly, the one I want is £699 instead of £899...