sadietoo Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Is anyone else getting bothered by this telephone scam?.... This happened to me today ...again When you answer the phone a gentleman of " a foreign persuasion" tells you that he is ringing from a helpline and that you are having problems with your Windows Computer with malware crashes etc....they never get further than that with me, because I say we are tps registered and hang up. It has dawned on me this morning (ok so I am quite slow witted!) that this is a more sinister scam to get access to our computer I have no idea how I'd go about reporting it.....or who too.. but I'll be ready for them next time!! grrrrrr - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 We've been having calls like this throughout the year. Had one the other day, they come up as International/Out of Area on our caller ID. A lady with a foreign accent said something about PC help & windows, I just said we didn't have a computer & she hung up pretty sharpish. Hubby has strung them along before now, saying we didn't use windows, so how could we have a problem. No idea who you'd report it to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 The scam is to get you convinced there is a problem with your computer and then for a fee they'll fix it for you. How kind of them not only to phone you when you don't even know you have a problem, but to also fix it for you there and then by getting you to install a remote access programme like Log Me In. I wish I knew who to report them to, but the are outside of the TPS boundary so. They aren't covered by those rules. I just tell them I don't have a computer, which they are quite incredulous about I have also shouted at them that they are liars, as they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Yes this is a scam, if you give them access to your pc they can look at anything and install any viruses etc they want. If you have financial info on your pc they can see that. If you do on-line banking it is very simple to install key stroke loggers that would let them get the info to get into your account No one you can report it to unfortunately. BT know about it but can do nothing. They say they haven't sold them the phone lists. They obviously are working from a telephone directory because they rang knowing my name and that's the one the phone is registered in. When I told them I knew it was a scam and I wasn't stupid the Indian accented caller called me a name I won't repeat and I'm not easily embarrassed. I put the phone down and he rang back immediately. Fortunately when I just picked up the phone and put it down immediately he left me alone. I contacted BT and asked to go ex-directory so at least I'm not in future telephone directories. My husband deals with them by spinning them along for ages pretending to be a naive user because they get really annoyed when they realise after 1/2hr or so that they aren't going to get anywhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 We have actually set our phone to go straight to voicemail now,with a message on it with our mobile numbers. We had been getting loads of scam & cold calls. We figure that most people know our mobiles anyhow, & had got to the point where we didn't even bother to answer the home phone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 My neighbour has been scammed like this...twice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I had one of those sometime ago. I was so insensed by it, thought I had to do something, so decided to call the police. The police were really helpful, I was put through to someone "dealing with it". She told me they are targeting elderly women ( I am 44!!!) and trying to gain access to your pc. She said they spend a few weeks targeting one part of the country and then move on to another. Yes they are calling from India. I was particularly spooked by the event, but reassured by the police. The policewoman I spoke to was pleased I had phoned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 If you carry on with the conversation (which I did once, out of sheer curiosity) they get you to go into Windows, and perform various keystrokes which will produce a page of script which they tell you is an 'error code'. I presume that at this point they ask you to log on to a website or something, needless to say I hung up at this point (pretending to be cut off) and they even rang back to try again! The last one who rang said 'I'm calling from your internet provider'. 'Who is that, then?' I asked - end of call. It's like all these scams - sadly, they must get some people falling for it, to make it worth their while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I had one like this a few months ago, strung her along until she said "press the start button" which I replied, I dont have a start button, I run a mac, all of my computers are macs, she hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I often string them along too, if I'm bored . It can be quite entertaining . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forestchook Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 I like to string them along/wind them up too, assuming I have nothing more pressing to do. It's funny how they believe "But I am genuine" is supposed to prove they are not trying to scam me. They never seem to understand that it's still just their word. A good way to confuse them is to ask which computer they are calling about. When they claim it doesn't matter if they use the same internet connection, point out if the computer is sending them error messages (if it can send them error messages why doesn't it tell me there is a problem?) surely they should be able to identify the computer! You can keep this argument going for quite some time.... before moving on to something else Yes I have too much time on my hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I've had this too, but was wise to it. She was stunned when I said that I didn't have a computer I wonder how they got my number though as I've always been ex-directory A friend has an intermediary service on her phone that when you first call her, she has to approve you & you go on the list of numbers that go straight through to her. If you're on the naughty list, then you don't get through I must find out how she got it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Friends of ours have just got something that sounds similar! I'm waiting to hear reviews . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Ahh I love getting those phone calls. Most have been very insistent and even downright aggressive. I tell them I don't have a computer and then they argue with me. I then tell them it's at work and I'm at home. That flummoxes them. Also I consider that I have a laptop which is totally different. It's not by directory because we are not in there, but probably has been sold to them by other companies. My daughter had a shirty bloke on the line and she played him by pretending to cry when he didn't believe she hadn't got a computer. She's so blinking good at that. She said he got nice after that! OH asks if they have parents and how can they be proud of their son trying to defraud innocent people in Britain and that they would be ashamed of their children if they knew. Now my neighbour had a different route and asks them questions. He said he wanted a red light on the top and he wanted his computer to be yellow and could they do that. The guy then said I'll have to put you through to a different department, clicked the phone and then it was the same person again - "hello this is the colouring department can I help you?" So Mike said no thank you and hung up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 Aha! The package my friend uses is called Truecall, but there are others out there...https://www.truecall.co.uk/home.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickweed Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I tell them I have just had my "windows" upgraded with nice wooden frames with double glazing. They think they are dealing with an idiot and hang up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I tell them I have just had my "windows" upgraded with nice wooden frames with double glazing. They think they are dealing with an idiot and hang up. I'm going to use that one next time!! If I get an international call I pick the phone up but don't say anything - they usually ring off quite quickly. My stepmother thinks that they can get money off of us somehow if I do this though. That can't be true can it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 No, only if you give them info or press a button on the phone to link up somewhere. I had P.P.P (recorded) the other day saying I'd been granted £1000 cheque and press 9 to accept. I rang off - but as we are dealing with P.P.P for my broken ankle I initially thought it was something to do with that - but I would have had a letter to confirm and no set amount either. Although DD had problems with a Halifax recorded fraud message. We all kept hanging up - turned out it was genuine which we thought was stupid as we know recorded messages mean trouble (unless it's to confirm a dentist appointment - and for some that could mean trouble! ). She only found out when she couldn't use her card. Someone was using it in Scotland! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 Good - that's what I thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
