Windows Call Center

[browndog]

Just got a call on my home phone from some guy claiming to be from the Windows Call Center saying that my PC had sent them automated messages that it had downloaded some malicious files in the past few weeks. He started by asking how old was the computer, how often I used it and when he got to what the operating system was I said you should already know that if it has been sending you files and then I accused him of being a scammer and hung up. Do you think this guy may have been legit? I've no idea where he would have got my home phone number from.

cheers

Browndog

 

[Andyd]

Just got a call on my home phone from some guy claiming to be from the Windows Call Center saying that my PC had sent them automated messages that it had downloaded some malicious files in the past few weeks. He started by asking how old was the computer, how often I used it and when he got to what the operating system was I said you should already know that if it has been sending you files and then I accused him of being a scammer and hung up. Do you think this guy may have been legit? I've no idea where he would have got my home phone number from.

cheers

Browndog

Absolutely a scam. If you ask them to give you a number to call them back to continue the call you'll get an invalid number.

Do not allow them to connect via remote administration! If you're really keen, get in touch with the AFP about the call. Someone needs to put these twits to bed.

Andy

 

[Maple]

Hack the hacker... That would be cool. I wish i knew more about these interwebs

 

[Pennywise]

419

 

[fawnroux]

Yeah, i've had em ring a couple of times. This one seems to be really common at the moment.

Microsoft issues warning on phone scam

 

[Silo Ted]

419

On an Australian phone line ? That call would cost a lot of money from Nigeria !

Anyone else in Sydney get these Indian (Red Dot, not Woo-Woo) guys knocking on your door claiming to be from some energy company ? Been going on for a few years, and they never have legitimate looking ID, and they are ALWAYS, without fail, of Indian descent. Apparently they can get very pushy with the ladies at times too.

I'm calling scam on the OP too, by the way.

 

[Pollux]

They rang a work mate, who strung them along for a while before asking if it would help for him to hold down the apple key (he owns a mac).......


I await them to call me, we only run ubuntu here...

 

[jonocarroll]

100% scam. The outlaws got this one recently and thankfully my MIL was incapable of turning the computer on, otherwise she would have followed their instructions and given me even more to repair on their museum-worthy box.

Just got a call on my home phone from some guy claiming to be from the Windows Call Center

Note they're from 'Windows' - the product, not 'Microsoft' - the company. This is like getting a call from someone at 'Corn Flakes'. They get phone numbers from just about anywhere (or hell, call random numbers) and the chances are that the person on the other end has a Windows installation that isn't behaving. It's hilarious when the recipient has a Mac or Linux install. Hang up on them immediately and tell everyone you know to do the same.

419 refers to the name of the advanced-fee scams... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/419_scam

 

[Wolfy]

Its a total scam, have actually had them call 4 times here.
After playing with them for a little while, I ask them for my computer's IP address, the name of the 'virus' and other details, and they quickly realize that I know something about computes and hang up on me, lol.

I've warned my parents and friends not to fall for the scam, but good to see a similar warning here too.

 

[Pollux]

On an Australian phone line ? That call would cost a lot of money from Nigeria !

Anyone else in Sydney get these Indian (Red Dot, not Woo-Woo) guys knocking on your door claiming to be from some energy company ? Been going on for a few years, and they never have legitimate looking ID, and they are ALWAYS, without fail, of Indian descent. Apparently they can get very pushy with the ladies at times too.

I'm calling scam on the OP too, by the way.

I did years ago when we lived in Summer Hill.......The apartment block we lived in had little hatches next to each apartment door, no idea why, they just went into a box, probably from milk delivery days or similar. Anyway, at the time this guy rocked up, one of my neighbours was on holidays and we were all collecting their mail from the outside mailbox and popping it in their hatch.

So after I told Indian dude that I wasn't interested I kept an eye on him through the peep hole on my door, the fucker opens the hatch, notices the mail and grabs himself a handful and is just about to pocket it when I flung the door open and started a verbal barrage that would make a sailor blush. He shat himself and dropped the lot, and started to run down the stairs, he was doing well until he forgot our door opened inward, not outward. Was quite rewarding to see him hit the glass door at full speed, then drag him outside by the ears......

 

[Dave70]

*sigh..*

So much deception in the world today.

What ever happened to the good o'l prank call?

 

[Airgead]

I client of mine actually fell for that scam. Gave them her password. Let them connect remotely. Even paid them $50 for 'cleaning her computer.

She called me a few hours later and said "I think I might have done something stupid"...

You bet she had.

4 hours it took me to clean all the malware crap off her pc. Then another 3 or 4 to go round and change all her passwords. Then another 2 to give her a very stern talking to about not falling for this stuff in future (or at the very least call me first before agreeing to anything).

If I ever come face to face with one of the scammers I will take great pleasure in kicking them to death.

 

[browndog]

Wow, it is amazing the nerve of these people. I'd love to turn the tables on them.

 

[Silo Ted]

Wow, it is amazing the nerve of these people. I'd love to turn the tables on them.

You can. Come join our noble mission... http://forum.419eater.com/forum/

Warning, it is time-consuming and addictive.

 

[Airgead]

You can. Come join our noble mission... http://forum.419eater.com/forum/

Warning, it is time-consuming and addictive.

I have considered that in the past. No time though.

For the moment I will just have to content myself with visions of them lying on the ground while I drive my boot repeatedly into their face...

 

[InCider]

I gave these guys the run around a few weeks ago...

There is a blow by blow description of what kind of pesh I
was spinning to him... and his email he sent me to my Gmail junk address...

 

[DJR]

I have got 2 of these calls, the first i hung up, the 2nd i strung them along a bit and asked for more details, which earned me a hang up from them. Seem to prey on the uneducated with computers with official sounding names - with a lot of support being run out of the developing world it isn't unbelievable to a lot of people that someone is actually trying to help in this way and this keeps it going.

They seem to be calling on Skype as well... i just rejected the call and told them to go forth and procreate in a chat window.

 

[InCider]

I put them on hold to get a beer a couple of times...they were very patient while I went out the back, put some more gas in the keg, poured a beer, patted the dogs, surveyed the garden and then came back....

 

[Mister]

Just got a call on my home phone from some guy claiming to be from the Windows Call Center saying that my PC had sent them automated messages that it had downloaded some malicious files in the past few weeks. He started by asking how old was the computer, how often I used it and when he got to what the operating system was I said you should already know that if it has been sending you files and then I accused him of being a scammer and hung up. Do you think this guy may have been legit? I've no idea where he would have got my home phone number from.

cheers

Browndog

See a fair bit of this at work and it is pretty much as most have described it (apart from the 419 angle - this is not that but 419eaters is still brilliant). This type has been around a while too:

http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index....l/itemId/792165

As mentioned - crook cons you into giving access to your pc. Charges you for service or new "antivirus". This turns out to be fake and generally itself installs a variety of malware designed to steal other credentials such as banking details. Take the advice of the above link. I'd recommend signing up to scamwatch alerts and also consider http://www.ssoalertservice.net.au/

Best,

M

 

[browndog]

The buggers had the nerve to call back at dinner time, if there were not kids in the room the air would have been thick with expletives.