h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just a little note about a potential scam .I had a call today from a computer company has anyone else had a similar experience
Caller- You have been having warnings about virus you have ignored and I wasn’t to assist.
Me- What computer do you mean, and I have no service agreement with any one
Caller- Your one
Me- Start again, what computer I have several which one are you calling about
Caller- (pause) Just start one of your computers and I will talk you through it
Me- No, I don’t have a problem and I don’t need and help tell me who you are and how do you know I have problems where did you get your information.
Caller- We are a computer company and we want to sort out the problem with a virus on your system. Everyone has problems and you need help.
Me- If I need help I will ask, and if I have a serious virus I would either wipe the HD and reload windows or scrap the HD and fit a new one. It sounds like you want me to give you remote access to my computer(s) so you can do something on the system, no I do not want you to access my computer or help me.
Caller- I are calling to help you with this serious problem. Yes we need to access your computer and I will talk you through what to do.
Me- No I don’t you, or who the company is so I refuse to continue with this nonsence.
Caller- (more insistence about the dangerous nature of the virus) I will put you through to my supervisor.
Supervisor – (more about virus problems) Hello you are ignoring virus warnings. We are a computer company in the USA and we are calling to help you with your virus problem.
Me- I want to know who you are and your company name and what is the source of your information.

At this time they terminated the call 1471 no call record both accents were Asian.

Anyone had any calls like this. If you have or you get one I recommend you them to go away do not allow remote access.

My brother had this problem with Asian callers last year. He was disturbed when they gave a code to check that proving they were from 'microsoft' they could see he had 'errors' on his pc.

Thankfully he phoned me and Hubby, and we could prove that the 'errors' were natural occurring and that all pc's have them. I checked that he hadn't given them remote access to his pc - which he hadn't. And advised him to tell the callers that all their calls were being monitored by the British Police (Fraud Squad).

He never had any further problems after giving them that warning.



lil x

An article from the Gardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india-call-centres

My call did not mention Microsoft they just implied they were official

Part of my job involves getting Asian technicians to ring people up to sort out their desktop problems.

I should add it's corporate employees only, and they would have to ring us first.

I have no doubt there are honest sites this one was unable to pass security (if you see what I mean)

And the good guys would introduce themselves properly and be responding to a real problem

The rule of thumb is, if you have problems with your computer, YOU call for help, THEY don't call to tell you that you have problems?

Its the same with Emails, if its sent by an unknown sender, it goes into your Junk folder.

Unless of curse you are expecting an Email from someone who is not already in your address book.............end of story

Smudger.

In the USA, automated dialing machines have been outlawed, except for official government purposes, like the "reverse 911" system, issuing emergency warnings, and using one otherwise is tantamount to using a police siren on a non-official vehicle.

So, if you get one at all, if its not an official system, the person using the system is a law-breaker a priori.

To bypass the law, some people have been using automated systems as canvassing systems, simply to find out if there is a pickup, without any message following, to determine whether someone is home, then calling afterward with a live operator, who still should be shunned.