Has anyone else gotten these calls? I sometimes get 5 in a week. If you don't know, they call you up - unknown number, and say they're from Windows Service Centre and want to help you with the problems you're having on your computer. They walk you through some steps to convince you you've got a virus due to the red events in your Events Viewer. And attempt to get you to buy some software from them. Not. Anyway, all my family have Mac computers so that's one thing but these people are real idiots. My sister strung one of them along once trying to find out how they knew she had a problem and he told her he saw her computer when he was at her place the week before. Hello?!?! She finally told him he was full of shit and he said, "No ma'am, you are full of shit." OMG, hilarious. Anyhoo, after going through a number of responses to get rid of them, we're all just saying "I don't have a computer". That seems to shut them up. Got any other responses?
It's a statistical likelihood that any house they call will have at least one windows pc, and thus be open to being tricked into giving the caller money. Obviously they aren't actually who they say they are. Just stop answering unlisted numbers.
Just hang up. I work for a security software company and you would be amazed how many people fall for this crap (mostly elderly). They trick them into letting them remote into their machines show them all these (non)problems and vulnerabilities their anti-virus solution isn't detecting and charge them big bucks ($100s) to fix it. They then contact my company for a refund (some even want us to cover the money they paid the scam artists) and we have to tell them it was all a scam. Its sometime perpetuated also by malicious advertising which locks your browser and tells you to call "Microsoft" at a toll free number to fix it.
There are a lot of those kinds of calls when they just want to either rip you off or want to access your computer so they can steal your identity and info from the computer. They tried to con my grandma. She doesn't even have a computer and they were insistent that she did have a computer in the house. We have a do not call register here in Australia, so we can put our landlines and mobile phones on it and we don't get any solicited calls like that. Only charities can call and your own service provider.
It might work, but people give their phone numbers on lotteries, to companies, etc... Many only give email adresses. There are even free numbers nowadays with an answering machine stating that the person does not wish to be contacted. (do that at your own risk! )
My grandmother always says "Oh wow, thank you SO much for telling me! I'll get it fixed right away!" And then hangs up.
I just ignore the phone. It's more my parents' than mine. As for my mobile, I haven't given it to anyone.
Mom has gotten these sorts of calls. Her response is to pretend to freak out. She then tells them she's going for her gun to shoot the computer - while they try to talk her out of it- but Mom insists the virus has to be killed, and then she plays a ringtone into the phone of a FN P90 pistol firing three times. That usually gets them to hang up. :icon_wink
These people call my house all of the time. My dad knows that it is a scam now, but the first time he did not. He thought that it sounded fishy though, so he hung up and called me and I told him that it was a scam. We usually just ignore the calls now.
Omg some of those responses were pretty funny. We also have a Do Not Call list here but these calls are coming from outside the country so that doesn't help. And also, some legit companies have strangely hidden numbers (I guess if they're using a service) so we can't always tell before picking up that it's these knuckleheads. It's too bad people fall for this. If they just thought about it, they'd realize Microsoft would never in a million years call you up to help you with your computer. It's hard enough to get through to any support line when you make the call yourself!
"Sir, please press the 'start' button at the bottom-left of the screen" "Ok...... the computer is turning off now" "No sir! not the power button! the start button!" "Where is the start button?" "Turn your computer on, now sir! With the power button" ...It's going to be a loooong night
No, but I'm on a preferential service and yet I receive sales calls. I understand teleworkers are only doing their jobs. I know first hand what they have to hear. The numbers can be out of their control. At least most of those people have some business ethics. Scam sales calls such as what you mentioned are another story entirely. I think the best response is to just tell them to piss off and return to what you were doing. I haven't had any of those for a while. But this thread is amusing me! Serves them right. Next time I might pretend to be incompetent, if the mood strikes me. Over here we get door-to-door sales scammers. These people would steal the clothes off your washing line! I'm not gonna lie. I've considered making... alternations to fences/walls, but I don't want to risk hurting cats that don't know any better. A scammer guy told me I needed new roof tiles a few weeks ago. He tried to earn my confidence by saying he was working on my neighbour's roof. He got cold feet when I asked to check out his work. I'm pretty sure my neighbours would've told him to f**k off! I feel bad for vulnerable people that could be intimidated into accepting ridiculous offers. One of my mom's friends fell for an online scammer because they preyed on her insecurities. It surprised me because she works as a model. Maybe her boyfriends were shallow. She believes in psychics and one of them told her that a special man would come into her life that year. Scammers are terrible people!
I've received one of these calls before. I pretended for about 40 minutes that I was actually following her instructions, then she realised I wasn't and started to get really abusive with me so I hung up. 10 seconds later she rings up, I don't bother and just unplug the phone for the night.
I usually have fun with these kind of calls. Even if I'm in a bad mood, hearing a telemarketer or a scam on the other line, is usually a surefire way to perk me up. The last time I received a call about my computer, they asked me what kind of anti-virus software I had, which led to... Me: The one that came with my computer. Them: We'll ne-- Me: I'll. Them: ... excuse me? Me: I'll. You said we'll, when you mean I'll. I only hear one of you, not two. Them: I represent our company, w-- Me: Who is this 'our'? I only hear one of you! Them: Many people work for my company. Me: Is it 'our' company, or 'my' company? Them: It is the company that I work for. Me: Okay, sorry. Carry on. Them: Anyway, we'll ne-- Me: I'll. Them: ... I'll call back, at a better time. Thank you. Hilarious.
These have been around for years. [youtube]Oio_GgNDam4[/youtube] [youtube]WpBKUk6t5aQ[/youtube][youtube]GVQoAlQrnSg[/youtube]
