Indian WINDOWS call centre ... Be careful

[awilcockson]

I've been getting a few of these, I probably shouldn't have told them to f'off and hung up because now they are ringing every single night

I did have fun with one a year or so ago, stringing him along with "windows explorer, how do I open that?" and "what's the windows key look like" etc etc before he clicked that I was on a mac ... after 30 minutes

 

[SeatBackForward]

I have to wonder how much of these dodgy calls from India are a result of actual help desk/call centre confidential information being stolen or leaked.

The other question I have is if the people making these calls are aware its a scam, or are they indoctrinated into believing they are genuinely doing a services on behalf of someone?

 

[Pushka]

My son took one of these calls and was a little naughty with them. After he'd hung up, the guy called back to complain about my son! Now I just pull out the phone plug and only use mobile. I'd cancel the phone line but I need it for a monitored alarm and internet.

There's a time share scam in Bali where the prize is attendance at a sell promo at a resort. MrP was having a discussion with one of the sellers while I was in a 7/11. The seller could not understand why he received so much grief from tourists because they are told in their training they are giving away a prize. They genuinely thought they were doing a great thing.

 

[eastwest101]

I have to wonder how much of these dodgy calls from India are a result of actual help desk/call centre confidential information being stolen or leaked.

Undoubtably so, think of all the companies that collect personal information on their customers such as numerous government agencies/banks/ulitities/insurance/airlines/employers/bricks and mortar retailers and online retailers and then try to believe that not a single one of them has ever outsourced or transferred info or had rubbish security allowing staff or hackers to access your data and give to another party that could end up overseas at some point in time in the past.

The other question I have is if the people making these calls are aware its a scam, or are they indoctrinated into believing they are genuinely doing a services on behalf of someone?

Quite possible, yes. There may be more expert cybersecurity or IT people around here whom may have a good idea of how these things work.

 

[sampson]

Love these ideas, I wish I was quick nuff to think these things up

 

[Fifa]

I was lucky enough to read this thread before I got the call.
As suggested, I strung them along, told them I had to go over to the desk and turn on the computer, then I came back to the phone and said the computer seemed a bit slow, back and forth asking questions about what to click on etc for a good 20 minutes,. Then I asked if I could have their number so my +1 could call them back as I wasn't too sure if I should be touching his computer (it's mine) :shock:.
They assured me I could do it but i said I'd better not.
Long story short - they wouldn't give me a number and I told them not to bother calling back!!!
Lots of fun

 

[prozac]

Glad I could help and it's all been worthwhile. I haven;t received any calls since.

 

[blackcat20]

I usually tell them it's impossible for my computer to be sending errors, as there is no computer connected to the Internet in my house. True, as the cable is only plugged in on the rare occasion I use the computer rather than my iPad.

I'm finding the callers now say they are from Telstra...

 

[anat0l]

I still have to use drron's technique of a whistle on the next sod that tries this scam.

One time I gave them a stern tongue before hanging up. My father happened to pick up the phone almost at the same time as me; he wasn't quite aware it was a scam until I told him. That said, the same loser called back a few moments later, and my father was quite civil with him before hanging up again. Which is unusual because when my dad is talking to someone who he clearly knows (or should clearly know) is not deserving of any respect, his tongue can be more lethal than death by live dousing in hydrofluoric acid.

The last lot of sods I've had calling are those idiots offering an unbelievable holiday package to Cancun.

 

[Major]

The last young lady that called me from India was a bit taken back when I asked her for a good chicken curry recipe.
After stammering and stuttering for a while she told me she was vegetarian and could not help me. So I thanked her anyway and hung up

 

[medhead]

The in-laws got one of these the other night when I was there. Father in law was his usual vague (closed answers) self and eventually hung up with his usual look of "I have no idea what this idiot is on about". They rang straight back, I answered. The guy says "we are going to cut off your internet". I just replied don't be a dh, you're not Telstra, Get lost. Then hung up. In laws were shocked. Good cop, bad cop.

 

[prozac]

They certainly cold called me ... on a Saturday ... twice. That was 3 years ago though, and one of the reasons I removed all of my business from Westpac.

Roo, this warning shows when I login to Westpac indicating that they do not (should not be!) cold call-

Scam alert
Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls requesting information about your computer, telephone or bank accounts.
If in doubt, hang up.
Be aware of phone scams.

Always good to remind ourselves so we don't let down our guard.

 

[farstar]

Damn Telstra fixed my telephone line a few days ago and now the phone calls have started again, all going to voicemail at least. Telstra must have been doing upgrades in the area with lots of digging in the streets and phone was offline for a couple of months but I never use the phone as only got it as cable internet and foxtel was cheaper with it and use mobile anyway so didn't notice for a while. But they fixed the phone damn them, may be I will just unplug it.

 

[prozac]

Damn Telstra fixed my telephone line a few days ago and now the phone calls have started again, all going to voicemail at least. Telstra must have been doing upgrades in the area with lots of digging in the streets and phone was offline for a couple of months but I never use the phone as only got it as cable internet and foxtel was cheaper with it and use mobile anyway so didn't notice for a while. But they fixed the phone damn them, may be I will just unplug it.

Must have unearthed something...

 

[Sprucegoose]

The last young lady that called me from India was a bit taken back when I asked her for a good chicken curry recipe.
After stammering and stuttering for a while she told me she was vegetarian and could not help me. So I thanked her anyway and hung up

Love it.

They ask for Mr Sprucegoose I sometimes reply we have just come from his funeral

Ask them where they are, and challenge them on the current weather if they say they are just down the road.

Always keep them on the line as a public service ie they are not bothering others

Always ask for travel tips to India

They can be pushy and rude buggers. Better people around to deal with

 

[prozac]

Had quite a short call tonight.
"Hello, I am calling about your internet security."
"Oh, hello this is **** ****** police station."
"Are you the primary computer operator"
"No, I am sorry that would be my Chief Detective *******."
"Oh Dear,............." Hang up.

Short and sweet.

 

[AdMEL]

Had quite a short call tonight.
"Hello, I am calling about your internet security."
"Oh, hello this is **** ****** police station."
"Are you the primary computer operator"
"No, I am sorry that would be my Chief Detective *******."
"Oh Dear,............." Hang up.

Short and sweet.

Thankfully, I don't have a home phone anymore!

 

[Mumfreqflyer]

We get so many of these calls at work.

My husband now tells then when they ask for the business owner (we already know it's 'one of those calls' as the caller id comes up as overseas) and he tells then the owner is tied up and he is robbing the place and to give him about 10 minutes to try open the safe then to call the police for the owners sake.

Some still continue on with their script, some say they will wait for the owner and some hang up.....

I'm waiting for the police to actually show up one day!!!

 

[N860CR]

The sad part is... One of my receptionists several years ago (lovely older lady) believed every word of it and ended up loading some very painful spyware program onto our servers.

It's sad that we need to have such a guard up for scams like these

 

[anat0l]

The sad part is... One of my receptionists several years ago (lovely older lady) believed every word of it and ended up loading some very painful spyware program onto our servers.

It's sad that we need to have such a guard up for scams like these

A sister's friend did the same thing (similar buggery - something about cleaning a virus or some other BS) whilst she was up in Rockhampton. Sister called me soon after and described the situation; had to diagnose the thing over the phone, which was a bit painful. I think they eventually found another computer guru in the local area to clean things up after I flagged that it was a hoax.

I guess you have people who fall for Nigeria 419. This is more dangerous in a way, because less people actually understand computers and what the hell is going on (also discretion ends up being the better part of valour, as it were), even though for most of us in the computer headspace, this is a rather rudimentary "attack" in the grand scheme of things.