Not Another Scam Call Thread!

A

akck

Full time employment: Posting here.
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
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I couldn't find an old thread, hence this one.

I got a call from Microsoft and found out my computer was sending warning messages. The nice junior support guy had me turn on my computer (which was already on), and wanted me to push the Windows+R keys. Unfortunately for them, it "locked up" my computer. He had me restart several times where I said it did the same thing. I was then bumped up to a senior support technician and he wanted me to restart and push the F8 key. Well this totally locked up my computer. After several retries, I was bumped to another person who wanted me to hold the Alt key while pressing F8. He caused my computer to totally shut down and not restart. Had me unplug and plug in all cords to no avail. Finally, I ended it and said they wrecked my computer.

This went on for 15 minutes, so you're all welcome for not getting calls during that time. I don't understand why they went along with my scam back for so long as what I was telling them shouldn't be possible.
 
Thank you for keeping them at bay for at least 15 minutes. The IRS already called me today ordering me to send them copious amounts of cash, followed by a robo call from some unnamed credit card company telling me my payment was in arrears. I pay the balance in full, every weekend.

If these people could just spend all this energy on something productive...
 
akck said:
I couldn't find an old thread, hence this one.

I got a call from Microsoft and found out my computer was sending warning messages. The nice junior support guy had me turn on my computer (which was already on), and wanted me to push the Windows+R keys. Unfortunately for them, it "locked up" my computer. He had me restart several times where I said it did the same thing. I was then bumped up to a senior support technician and he wanted me to restart and push the F8 key. Well this totally locked up my computer. After several retries, I was bumped to another person who wanted me to hold the Alt key while pressing F8. He caused my computer to totally shut down and not restart. Had me unplug and plug in all cords to no avail. Finally, I ended it and said they wrecked my computer.

This went on for 15 minutes, so you're all welcome for not getting calls during that time. I don't understand why they went along with my scam back for so long as what I was telling them shouldn't be possible.
Click to expand...

Are you kidding?

Microsoft will NEVER call you out of the blue. You gave them (the nice young scammer) access to your computer and they may have any user names and passwords you have stored on it. If I was you, I would be checking my bank and investment accounts to see if they got access (if you have that info stored). I would guess the scammers have all your personal information also. Good luck!
 
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Thanks for keeping them busy! Wondered why my phone was so quiet!

aja888 I think your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning 😁

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
 
As I write this I am waiting for the County Sheriff to come and arrest me for non payment of Federal Income Tax from 2014.
 
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I got my first call from the Microsoft support team a couple of days ago.

A real person too. Goodbye!
 
I wonder what they would say if I told them "that's odd my iPad seems to be working fine"

Sent from my iPad.
 
Scammer (typically with a strong Indian accent): I am calling from Microsoft Technical Support, and we have determined that your computer is sending out bad messages on the Internet. Are you at your computer?
Me: No. Wait while I go to my computer... OK, I am at my computer.
Scammer: What do you see?
Me: I see a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor.
Scammer: What do you see on the monitor?
Me: Nothing.
Scammer: Is your computer turned on?
Me: No. Hang on. Let me turn it on. OK, it's booting up. (Wait about 3 or 4 minutes) OK, it's waiting for me to log in. Can you see my computer on your Internet?
Scammer: You have to log in.
Me: OK. Hey, wait, how do I know you are not a scammer? My son told me to be careful about scammers calling on the phone.
Scammer: Sir, I am calling from Microsoft Technical Support to help you fix your computer. Have you logged in to your computer.
Me: Yes, I am logged in.
Scammer: Good. Now press the Windows key and the R key at the same time.
Me: OK.
Scammer: Do you see a window that says Run?
Me: No.
Scammer: Did you press the Windows key and the R key at the same time?
Me: Yes, I think so.
Scammer: Try it again.
Me: Nope. Nothing.
Scammer: OK, can you open a browser?
Me: Yes. Hang on. OK, I see a browser window that is displaying Google in large letters.
Scammer: Click in the address bar near the top of the window and enter blahblahblah.com/scamprogram.exe.
Me: OK, my computer is asking if I want to download scamprogram.exe.
Scammer: Yes, go ahead and download it.
Me: Where should I download it to?
Scammer: Anywhere. It doesn't matter.
Me: OK, I downloaded it to my Downloads folder.
Scammer: OK, now go into your Downloads folder and double-click on scamprogram.exe.
Me: OK. I double-clicked it and nothing happened.
Scammer: Make sure you hold your mouse still when you double-click.
Me: OK. I double-clicked it again and my computer is asking if I want to install something called Wine. I don't think I want to do that.
Scammer: Are you sure you are double-clicking on scamprogram.exe?
Me: Yes.
Scammer: Do you know what version of Windows you are running?
Me: Windows? My son set me up with Raspbian on a Raspberry Pi. It's got windows, but I don't know how to tell what version it is.
Scammer: So do you have any PCs running Microsoft Windows?
Me: No. But I suppose I must if you are calling me...
Scammer: (Finally cluing in) Why would you waste my time like this?
Me: To prevent you from harming people during the time we have been talking. And I will happily waste your time whenever you or your cronies purporting to be from Microsoft Technical Support call.
Scammer: (Swear words)...hangs up.

You're welcome.
 
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COcheesehead said:
I wonder what they would say if I told them "that's odd my iPad seems to be working fine"

Sent from my iPad.
Click to expand...

A couple of years ago, I told them all I had was an iPad and iPhone and no computer. He just didn't believe me, saying we must have a laptop or something else. That call went for about 5 minutes.
 
SteveNU said:
Thanks for keeping them busy! Wondered why my phone was so quiet!

aja888 I think your sarcasm detector is malfunctioning ��

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app
Click to expand...

LOL!

Microsoft is calling me every other week. I don't have the patience to talk to them.
 
I dragged one along for about 10 minutes then put the phone down. She was still on the line saying "can you hear me?" then she hung up.

THEN!!! She called me back! I said I had a bad phone connection and hung up on her. She called back again! We did this for 4 separate call backs...she must've thought she had a real fish on the line.

Finally I confessed that I didn't have MSoft and had a Chromebook.

Click.

Oh, and my mom is going to jail due to an IRS audit. I asked if I could get my inheritance now since she was going to jail for life.

Mom hung up on me!!
 
As much fun as that is, I'll just say this works:

https://www.amazon.com/Tel-Sentry-Automatic-Blocking-Election-without/dp/B00U1PPWDO

People that want to talk to you, the very first time they call, do need to call once, then call back. But I've had no problem with family, doctors' offices, mechanics, etc. They listen to the automated message (I have it configured so my phone doesn't ring), hang-up, call back, and my phone rings. The next time they call, my phone rings right-off...no muss, no fuss.

PS: Don't pinch pennies on the 1.0 version. Get the 2 or (I suppose) the 2.2. Mine is a 2 and it's great.
 
Help is on the way, this just in from Reuters -

More than 30 major technology companies are joining the U.S. government to crack down on automated, prerecorded telephone calls that regulators have labeled a "scourge."
Click to expand...

The strike force will report to the commission by Oct. 19 on "concrete plans to accelerate the development and adoption of new tools and solutions," said AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson, who is chairing the group.
Click to expand...

The group hopes to put in place Caller ID verification standards that would help block calls from spoofed phone numbers and to consider a "Do Not Originate" list that would block spoofers from impersonating specific phone numbers from governments, banks or others.
Click to expand...

AT&T, Apple, Google to work on 'robocall' crackdown | Reuters
 
When I get a call from a scammer I start out by asking what color their underwear is, and the conversation goes downhill from there.:D

It's been pretty successful at getting me off their lists.
 
braumeister said:
Anyone want to start a pool on how many hours it will take the scammers to find a new way around whatever rules get put in place?
Click to expand...

I had a pretty good run using the National Do Not Call Registry, something changed (technology?) in the last 2-3 years.
 
Since what the scammers are doing is illegal in the first place I don't really think they care about the laws.
 
Oh, and I switched to a slow-burn fuse after an episode that went something like this -

Ring..... ring.........

Me - Hello,.....hello,........hellooooo,?....... HELLO!,..........

I could hear someone breathing, I knew there was a person on the line.

Finally, I let loose with the usual #**##!!!... etc...... making sure to cover most any contingency. Most any.....

Pause...... then a feeble voice cracked .... Bjorn?
It was my 95yo grandmother.... Oops,... no problem, she continued as if nothing happened. I am more careful now.
 
I just set my phone to only allow calls from people on my contacts list. If someone else calls they can still leave a message.
 
For almost two weeks now, I've been getting 2 calls per day (not 1, not 3, always 2) on my cell phone from caller ID "Unavailable" -- no number provided.

For the first several days of this onslaught, I wouldn't answer, I'd just let it ring and my voicemail would pick it up. I wanted to make sure it wasn't someone calling for some legitimate purpose -- legitimate to me, anyways.

(For some time now, my voicemail greeting has been simply "I either can't answer the phone right now, or, I don't recognize your number. So please leave me a message." I got a snarky response to that from a telemarketer once :LOL: )

Mr. or Ms. Unavailable never left a message, what a surprise.

Now that I'm pretty confident that I have no use for either Mr. or Ms. Unavailable, I have all calls ID'd as "Unavailable" automatically rejected without ringing. The calls log on my phone still shows poor U's attempts to reach me, twice a day, every day.

I wonder how long it'll take before Unavailable gives up the ghost. :rolleyes:
 
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Rosie said:
.., I have all calls ID'd as "Unavailable" automatically rejected without ringing. The calls log on my phone still shows poor U's attempts to reach me, twice a day, every day...
Click to expand...

Oh, now I understand what's been going on.
 
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