Poll: So Windows now phones you to tell you that you might have harmful hacking software in your computer.

[Kukakkau]

Had the exact same thing and my dad put me on straight away after the first sign something was wrong - the telemarketer indian voice

I demanded to know what exactly was wrong with the computer - he just asked me to go on the computer so he could run me through it
I repeateded myself in an agitated voice - he claimed it was a corruption due to music downloads
I demanded to know what downloaded file caused the problem since he was apparently monitoring it - told me to go to the computer again
Asked what branch of windows he worked at - just asked if I was at my computer yet

I had enough and just said "Firstly windows has no capabilities to scan my system at any time, neither does it have the rights to view my downloads, also this number is not registered to any windows product and any problems you may have discovered would have been found by our anti virus systems. You have failed to tell me what the problem is or what caused it, care to explain?"

...*Hangs up*

Dear god it is the most satisfying thing to outwit and make a telemarketer hang up on YOU

 

[Jaeger_CDN]

I had one of these knuckle heads call me a couple hours ago while I was making dinner. As soon as I answered the phone he started mumbling something about calling from windows with a really bad accent. I strung him along for a minute and then told him to insert his thumb in an orifice and F off. He got all flustered and started to stammer at me to F this F that while I was laughing into the phone.

Funny thing is, it's only with these windows scammers that I actually swear. Normally (and my wife can attest) I rarely ever swear except the odd time and then I do it in german.

This was around the 3rd time these idiots have called me, next time I'm going to try and just talk to them in german or something to see what they do.

 

[similar.squirrel]

Just tell them that you use Linux.

No. That would give them ideas.

 

[Atmos Duality]

I would have endless fun redirecting them around my honeypots and Ethereal scans.
I'd have booted up a virtual PC (and router), let them Remote-Desktop into it, and had a little fun. ;p

 

[BigDeadMushy]

same thing happened to a friend of mine,who led them on a merry chase and wasted a lot of their time.when he's not on his macbook he runs linux,so we can safely assume he knew what was going on straight away.

 

[x EvilErmine x]

The first clue that this was fake should have been that they rang you. Ask your self how they would know about the state of your computer? How would they then get your phone number? Why would they call you and not send you an e-mail instead? Why are they providing this service for free?

All that should let you know it's a scam

Also suspicious should be the fact that they directed you to a website, why do that? Especially if they already 'know' what's wrong with your computer. Any real tech support person would guide you into booting up in safe mode and help you to remove the files from the system and remove the keys from the registry. It's very easy to do if some one is there to talk you through it.

Common sense people...it's not overrated.

P.S.
If i sound a bit like a dick it's because it pisses me off that people would try to take advantage of other people who just don't know any better, it's morally wrong.

 

[Pat8u]

Microsoft does not check your computer for errors
also whenever they call I say I have a mac...

 

[lacktheknack]

I had a similar call. From a "computer security expert". I told him that I have AVG, and he said that he didn't know what AVG was.

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong number."

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Story time, ladies and mentlemen. Well, not really but still.

Anyways, about 30 minutes a go I receive a call from someone telling me that my computer is filled to the gills with hacking software and could crash at any given moment. Seeing as I at that point had just woken up, I was pretty damn worried so I took the call, booted up my laptop and did what they told me.

First thing that struck suspicion in me was the fact that instead of asking me to open my web browser, they asked me to put in a website in the Run diag box. Little suspicious but I went along with it for a bit. After that, I got to a site where I need a 6 digit access code.

Red flag numero two. They told me to close that down and go to another site. I followed their instructions again, this time talking with a bloke that sounded a bit Scottish and a bit Indian too. I put in the new website and took a look, suspicions rising all the time.

Red flag number three, it was a website that, if I had clicked the link, would've allowed them remote access to my laptop so they could take out all the files that had harmed my computer.

... ...

In the end, I asked the guy if he was, and I quote "Are you fucking kidding me, I'm not giving you remote access." to which I got a lovely reply of a dial tone.

So, just thought I'd share that with you and see what you think. Scam or a real threat?

Oh, and what's the best scam phone calls you've received, or indeed the best scam you've been offered?

lol love the picture with this.

my friend had this happen to him too surprisingly, in your position with just waking up i might've done the same thing.

still, i'd get my ass in gear and find those fuckers.

 

[kasperbbs]

I got a call once from a guy who claimed that my son crashed into his car and now he wants money, i played along and gave him an adress to meet me, he called me back an hour later and then i told him that i was 20 years old and i have no children, he was pissed.

As for informing me about viruses, my net provider gives me a warning and cutts off my internet access until i clean up my PC, that kinda pissed me off because then i had no means of downloading antivirus software.

 

[Outright Villainy]

I've gotten this twice. It wouldn't be so bad if not for the second time waking me up on my lie in day.

Those bastards will suffer a most gruesome death for interrupting my lie in.

 

[Hyperrhombus]

I had a dood phoning me about my "bank account" who I hung up on, only to find 3 hours later, from the exact same number, a dood calling me about my "aol account". Jeez.

 

[platinawolf]

Its a well known scam,,, Now go reinstall your computer and change your passwords (in that order) as they probably managed to install some shit.

 

[Dakkagor]

They called me again today! So after answering, leaving them hanging for 15 minutes while I made a cup of tea and used the loo, I then asked for my computers ID (seeing as it was contacting them). He read of a string of numbers, and then I asked for computers NAME. cue dialtone. ..

 

[flyhawk]

they tried this on my mother once she gave me the phone saying here some sketchy dudes I ran a virtual pc let them log into there and tracked the ip address then I telnetted(they had the default password...really?) into there pc sent an message box saying "Mess with the best die like the rest"(cookie for the guys who know the movie)

then I tried to delete some important windows config files and they either powered off there router or pulled there plug

 

[Reverend Del]

Had this happen a while back, I pondered how Microsoft had got my phone number he mumbled something about it being on my computer, I decided indignation was the best route out of the situation and told him to screw off. Then I ran every check I could think of just in case they'd done anything. A later read of snopes told me this was a general scam not a targeted one, which shook my belief that the world revolves around me. I cried a little.

 

[Ruwrak]

Jebus, I can see how easy this scam would work if you have a person that don't know anything about computers and would have just followed blindly.

Which is (quite scary actually) more people then you'd think.

 

[Summerstorm]

I always wonder how this can possibly be worth the time. How can this be a scam?

Costs: Either, if you are IN the country the whole moving/paying people/dodging the police, or if they are outside the country: Insane telephone bills.

Income: Nothing??? I mean who has open and clear information on the computer which give access to MONEY? And then doesn't bother to get it back, if you steal it?

High risk low reward. Sounds like a bad scam.