Scams like these

[moa999]

Had a 'Indian sounding' call from Qantas unintelligible Agent offering 50% off airfares.
Obviously using some pretty basic equipment in these 'call centres' as there was a huge amount of noise from other people talking in the background.

Just hung up

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

"Telstra" have tried calling our place, a couple of times on Thursday night, and again a couple of minutes ago.

Something about there being issues with the internet connection in our area, and that a corrupted data file had been downloaded without my knowledge. I stopped the call there as I believe the next step would have been him asking me to remote into my PC etc. Not going to happen.

Hopefully that is the last of the phone calls, as it is clearly a scam. We had a service interruption a fortnight ago and that was communicated by e-mail.

The worrying thing is that there are those out there who would believe the phone call and get stung.

String them along and waste their time ! makes you feel better !!!!

 

[robd]

Is there some kind of scam going round with solar panels? I had a phone call yesterday evening from an Indian guy on a delayed line spruiking the virtues of solar panels. When I said I had no interest whatsoever, he just hung up. Probably doesn't really qualify as a scam, because he hung up so quickly, but the fact that it was definitely from an overseas call centre always sends red flags.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is there some kind of scam going round with solar panels? I had a phone call yesterday evening from an Indian guy on a delayed line spruiking the virtues of solar panels. When I said I had no interest whatsoever, he just hung up. Probably doesn't really qualify as a scam, because he hung up so quickly, but the fact that it was definitely from an overseas call centre always sends red flags.

same with energy efficient down-lighting. I think there must be some sort of government rebate... they flog you the stuff and claim the money back from the govt or something.

 

[moa999]

Vic (and a few other states have a scheme for led lights).
Essentially they install a pretty cheap light, of less lumens than a regular halogen and claim the energy credits.

Better off buying better quality yourself.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Is there some kind of scam going round with solar panels? I had a phone call yesterday evening from an Indian guy on a delayed line spruiking the virtues of solar panels. When I said I had no interest whatsoever, he just hung up. Probably doesn't really qualify as a scam, because he hung up so quickly, but the fact that it was definitely from an overseas call centre always sends red flags.

I just tell them I already have it, it's great, power bills halved, blah,blah,blah...They try and get me off. Don't have it on my place. The other one is tell them you are a bankrupt and are interested and they will drop you then too.

 

[robd]

Vic (and a few other states have a scheme for led lights).
Essentially they install a pretty cheap light, of less lumens than a regular halogen and claim the energy credits.

Better off buying better quality yourself.

Yeah, I've had this one at the front door a few times. I've accepted the globes, but as soon as they say they have to come inside my house to instal them, I've flicked them off.

 

[Mattg]

Just got this email from "Coles". Interesting considering how I'm not actually on the Coles mailing list.

 

[mhen]

So disappointed. I just received one of the "ATO" and "CDPP" phone calls re the "deliberate" and "fraudulent" non-payment of tax of about $4k. I was looking forward keeping them busy for a while but after a few minutes they suddenly hung up. I suspect I wasn't sounding suitably worried. But I can imagine the distress this must cause to others who don't know this is a scam.

 

[SeatBackForward]

I'm waiting to get an Indian Call centre scam - to commend them on their skills and offer them an opportunity working for a competing call centre gig, I'd just need a personal email address of theirs to contact them on.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Just got this email from "Coles". Interesting considering how I'm not actually on the Coles mailing list.

I'm sure the grammar thread is pleased that you aren't on Coles' mailing list either.

 

[Cossie]

Westfarmers must be doing really well, Bunnings are giving away $150 gift cards, ho hum.....

 

[Julesmac]

We popped our number on the 'Do not call' list and never get spam calls any more on the house phone, dammit! I used to like to just put the phone down and wander off for an hour or so, believing that if I did so then they couldn't use that line again till I'd hung up my receiver. Is that correct or something I dreamt up? Personally I love the idea of a whistle, deafen the buggers I say

 

[Cossie]

I am popular today, apparently not only do Bunnings want to give me money I also received this:




Could be legit, but I don't trust the url it sends you to, and as far as I know I'm not on their mailing list!

 

[SeatBackForward]

I am popular today, apparently not only do Bunnings want to give me money I also received this:

Could be legit, but I don't trust the url it sends you to, and as far as I know I'm not on their mailing list!

Poor grammar is usually a giveaway. The second line in brackets would suggest so.

 

[Cossie]

Wow, just Wow, I can't believe it, today is the best day of my life! I'll be sure to make "more enquirers" about this one.

Hello,

E-mail message was sent from T-Mobile to you, to inform that you have awarded £ 500,000 GBP (Five Hundred Thousand Pounds) from T-MOBILE AWARD ANNIVERSARY.

For more enquirers please contact:
MR. Mxx_ Hxx_xx
e-mail: xx_xx@xx_xx_.xx

Regards,
T-Mobile UK.

I've really upset someone and ended up on a few mailing lists!

hungry jacks vouchers! I can hardly wait....

 

[Julesmac]

How funny I was reading this thread yesterday & just last night spoke to a friend who's been caught. She & husband own small business & their computer has been hacked & shut down with the message to pay around $600 or the system gets wiped. Friend says she thinks the suspect email was from AFP but swears no one opened it. I'm sure I've read about this one but any ideas on where she goes from here. Urgent, as no computer = no work = no money

 

[Cynicor]

Generally can only restore from backup. Any of them handy? Otherwise, an expensive lesson in offsite backups.

 

[drron]

How funny I was reading this thread yesterday & just last night spoke to a friend who's been caught. She & husband own small business & their computer has been hacked & shut down with the message to pay around $600 or the system gets wiped. Friend says she thinks the suspect email was from AFP but swears no one opened it. I'm sure I've read about this one but any ideas on where she goes from here. Urgent, as no computer = no work = no money

I have had that happen twice.Fortunately had a second computer.I got the info on how to restore the affected computer.Then installed the free download of Malwarebytes.Happenned again so I have the paid copy of their program now.Here is a long winded link but down the bottom is how to restart your computer.
Remove Police Virus - Ukash, Moneypak, Android Virus Scam Removal Guides

Reviews of malwarebytes-
User reviews for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free Freeware

When in Murmansk a fellow passenger had his computer hacked.With mine a warning came up from the program to urgently quarantine the malware.

The first time I was on a travel site,the second on a diabetes research site.Obviously quite a few sites have been hacked by this mob.

 

[CMA222]

How funny I was reading this thread yesterday & just last night spoke to a friend who's been caught. She & husband own small business & their computer has been hacked & shut down with the message to pay around $600 or the system gets wiped. Friend says she thinks the suspect email was from AFP but swears no one opened it. I'm sure I've read about this one but any ideas on where she goes from here. Urgent, as no computer = no work = no money

Department of Communications (Federal Government) have their excellent alert service at

https://www.communications.gov.au/what-we-do/internet/stay-smart-online/alert-service

They did put out an alert on ransom ware a while back with instructions on how to react but basically it said reformat your hard drive reload your programs and restore data from a recent backup. I cannot locate the alert so I must have deleted it. It may still be on the website. In any event everyone should subscribe to the alert service and as the name says "Stay Smart Online".