Thanks Microsoft for Your Personal Call

altomic on 16/07/2011 - 16:18
Last edited 16/07/2011 - 16:19

received a phone from a guy on a phone line with echo back and delay who stated he was from Microsoft and they had detected a problem with my computer.

I asked him what system my computer was using (because they detected a problem with my computer so they should know) and he stated either xp, 7 or vista.

wow, the guy was spot on. I use 7!!!

how did he know?

I asked what the problem was exactly and he said he would have to remote access my computer.

unfortunately I cut the call short before I had to listen to any further crap.

anyone else had this happen to them?

General Discussion

Comments

  • Slide To Unlock on 16/07/2011 - 16:19
    +2

    Lucky read this http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/phone-scam-india…

    The person fakes it to gain acces of ur comp to get all ur info like credit cards and stuff

  • altomic on 16/07/2011 - 16:26
    +1

    that was it to a T.

    indian sounding bloke.

    so obvious it was dodgy.

  • issh on 16/07/2011 - 16:29

    Not dodgy ;)

    More info here for those that want to know about it

    I believe they remote access to your computer, then put a virus on it, then they call you back and say you have to pay for this software

  • StewBalls on 16/07/2011 - 16:32
    +13

    LOL, I used to get a few of these. The last one was a chick so I started talking dirty to her; really, really dirty! ;)

    They haven't called back since! :(

  • sme73 on 16/07/2011 - 17:13
    +8

    Yeah, this dude must be busy…tried me twice… caught me in a weak moment as I was sick and didn't have any good comebacks, though I'll work on a line of questioning to have a bit of fun with it next time… Why couldn't it have been the chick call me? haha

    • sme73 on 17/07/2011 - 11:06
      +7

      Is baffled why someone would neg my comment… my grammar was fine, I didn't deem it offensive, was on topic and though I wasn't my best work, I did try and inject some humour. Are some people seriously that sour?? Wow!

      • Tal_Shiar on 17/07/2011 - 15:55
        +3

        You've been away for a while? Because there are sour people here but that's makes it a bit more fun too

      • tomsco on 24/07/2011 - 20:11

        Maybe a feminist

    • cwongtech on 17/07/2011 - 18:34
      +2

      If its a guy, pretend to be gay and asks if he works out :p tthen ask to meet up :)

  • drdolphin on 16/07/2011 - 17:18
    +16

    I had them call me too. Knew the back story so played along and told him I'm turning the computer on etc, acted very concerned. After he'd talk for a minute or so I'd ask him to hold on and put the phone down, keep him waiting for minutes and minutes each time. After the 3rd time of doing this (he was waiting about 5 minutes this time) he hung up! I must have wasted about 20 minutes of his time, while I played with my kids. EVery couple of minutes or so I'd go back to the phone and ask him to hold on for a minute, and he stupidly would.

    He rang back later that night and I did the same thing while I cooked dinner. Again wasted about 15 minutes of his time before he must have realised what I was doing. He hasn't called back!

    • CuteChocobo on 18/07/2011 - 14:30

      Wow I am gonna try this next time. Everytime they call back I always say I am not interested and slam the phone, but they are damn persistent!!

  • joannatan on 16/07/2011 - 17:23

    "I asked him what system my computer was using (because they detected a problem with my computer so they should know) and he stated either xp, 7 or vista.

    wow, the guy was spot on. I use 7!!!"

    next time you should tell them that u use linux, then wait his response hahahaha

    • issh on 16/07/2011 - 18:06
      +3

      haha next time say you have windows 1.0

      • A Banana4scale on 17/07/2011 - 00:01
        +6

        next time make him wait ten minutes then tell him you don't have a computer.

  • retiredfeline on 16/07/2011 - 17:31
    +1

    There was a story posted on a board where it went something like this:

    Scammer: Hi, I'm from M$, we've detected that you have a virus on your Windows computer.
    IT wiz: That's amazing!
    S: Yes, our technology is very advanced. If you give me remote access to your computer I can fix it.
    I: No, I mean that's really amazing.
    S: (A bit doubtful now.) How do you mean?
    I: I mean, I am actually using a Mac. (Alternatively: Linux.)
    S: (Flustered. A few moments silence.) Macs (Linux) are crap, you should stop using it. (Phone being slammed down.)
    I: Bwahahahaha!

    • joannatan on 16/07/2011 - 18:01
      +1

      should said using win 95 / 98, then see his reaction as well :)

      • altomic on 16/07/2011 - 18:40
        +1

        6th months ago I could have used the Mac/OSX line but I was given a netbook for christmas:(

        • retiredfeline on 16/07/2011 - 19:41
          +2

          You can just have fun with them and see how they react. :)

      • raydragon on 21/07/2011 - 11:02

        I told one once I was using a Commodore 64.. unsurprisingly that kinda confused them :-)
        I look upon wasting their time as not only fun but a community service.. while I am keeping them busy they are not bothering some other person :-P

        I have to wonder sometimes though if all the people doing this actually KNOW that what they are doing is scamming people. It wouldn't be hard to convince a bunch of completely computer illiterate people that what they were doing was what they thought to be genuinely helping people. I have even queried some of them as to whether they know what they are doing is a scam but usually I just get confusion and then get Hung up on…

    • retiredfeline on 16/07/2011 - 21:36
      +2

      You can let your imagination run wild about how to mess with these scammers' minds, if you have too much time. You could go:

      You: Ah so fortunate you called. I'm having a problem with formatting paragraphs in Word and I have this paper due tomorrow, maybe you can help.

      You: Oh thanks for calling. I have this windows mobile smartphone, how do I bring up options for calendar?

      You: Oh sonny, I don't know. My 8-year old grandson does all my IT support. Let me get him. (Leave phone off hook until they give up.)

      You: Computer? Is that the thing I put these movie disks in to watch?

  • JamesYe on 16/07/2011 - 17:44
    +3

    I received one of these calls before, they are all scammers.
    They said to me "We have detected that your Windows currently has a virus"
    Then i simply said "But i use a Mac" and after a couple seconds of silence the guy hangs up. Useless people.

    • BuyoTheCat on 21/07/2011 - 13:29

      you can run windows on a MAC

      • Trance N Dance on 21/07/2011 - 20:27

        sssshhhhh don't let them know that, we might not be able to use that line on them again.

  • djones145 on 16/07/2011 - 17:57
    +1

    lol thats funny
    waiting for one of these calls

  • joannatan on 16/07/2011 - 17:59
    -6

    same thing happen in the office, where my office hire some contractor from this scammer country. no offence for people come from that country. eveytime i got problem, the solution only restart my pc. no trouble shooting at all. now i am stuck with same issue in the last 2 months, then i have to give solution to my head office, just by passed my local it support. hopeless mate.

    • A Banana4scale on 17/07/2011 - 00:04
      +9

      Well now we know you didn't come from Grammar country ;)

  • Tal_Shiar on 16/07/2011 - 18:27
    +3

    i love the story about some grandmother getting said call, and they wouldnt believe that she didnt actually have a computer lol

  • [Deactivated] on 16/07/2011 - 19:16

    ditto happened to me. then i counter asking questions and the guy baffled and then hang up. same thing happened to my friend. I cant understand, I have registered my phone to no call register and i still receive 1 crap call a day on an average

    • Slide To Unlock on 16/07/2011 - 20:13
      +1

      do u get freebies from website and put ur real phone number???

    • CuteChocobo on 18/07/2011 - 14:33

      Yeah I get about 2-3 those type of calls a week! Even with no-call register -___-"

  • regrakk on 16/07/2011 - 19:35

    me

  • ngf on 16/07/2011 - 20:14
    +7

    "I'm using pirated windows; am I in trouble?"
    That might get an interesting response. After all, you wouldn't be entitled to help from them if you weren't licensed, hehe.

  • Deebs on 16/07/2011 - 20:50
    +5

    Haha I got a guy like that two weeks ago, who told me to turn on my computer cause their was junk files on it that were detected….my computer was on, I was using it. When I said I'd fix it myself he got annoyed and said "sir why do you not understand the seriousness of this problem". Said my brother was a computer engineer and he would fix it for me, the guy hung up.

  • scrimshaw on 17/07/2011 - 02:57
    +3

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhV6rIgyQ-s&list=UUC7VWzzIDnS…

    Video made by Symantec (Norton) about the phone scam. The Symantec engineers make a phone call to one of these "Companies" and attempt to reverse troll them.

    • StewBalls on 17/07/2011 - 10:30
      +2

      ROFLMAO, I laughed so hard I almost choked on brekky; that's just pure gold!

      One of my mates strung them along once too, he had them convinced he was a complete n00b incompetently trying to find stuff for a full hour & a half!!! They got so frustrated & bamboozled with his supposed ineptitude that they gave up! :o

  • punk on 17/07/2011 - 10:39
    +1

    nice, I would tell them I don't have a phone.

  • TScott on 17/07/2011 - 11:39
    +4

    I got a phone call like this one: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_sca…

    They rang, told me they were from 'microsoft', then said to me they detected I had lots of errors with my computer. Then, they told me to open event viewer, told me there were sooooooooo many errors (every computer has them), then passed me onto their 'engineer' she then asked what OS i was using. I said 'the latest one', she replied 'vista, is the latest'. I got silent, then said 'no, windows 7 is', she kept on arguing. I smelt sumthing fishy, so I pretended the line got cut. But before this she wanted me to pay for a program to clear the 'errors'. I replied,'Helllll, no'. I hanged up. Then she re-called said sorry n s#$% about the line getting cut. I hanged up, she called again. Then I picked up the phone, made a fake asian accent. Then she hanged up. =) SERIOUSLY, the people running these scams SHOULD GET A REAL FREAKIN JOB like the rest of us.

    • StewBalls on 17/07/2011 - 12:07
      +3

      SERIOUSLY, the people running these scams SHOULD GET A REAL FREAKIN JOB like the rest of us

      Unfortunately, they've probably outsourced call centres to countries where this is the best offer on the table for staff to feed their families! I'm sure given the opportunity they'd gladly take another position that doesn't involve them getting verbally abused ad infinitum for following orders! ;)

      • TScott on 17/07/2011 - 13:18
        +1

        But I would still not feel right knowing I am literally stealing cash off innocent people. I do feel sorry for them. But I really am hating the people who are running these scams (the bosses) who are making money out of the elderly, who are the most vulnerable. Sooner or later God will give the scammers what they deserve.

        • StewBalls on 17/07/2011 - 14:07
          +1

          But I really am hating the people who are running these scams (the bosses) who are making money out of the elderly, who are the most vulnerable

          Absolutely, I agree 110%! :)

          Sooner or later God will give the scammers what they deserve

          I'm lead to believe that there's a special level of Hell for these guys, right down there with kiddie-fiddlers & politicians! ;)

        • A Banana4scale on 17/07/2011 - 20:49
          +1

          don't forget nigerian scammers.
          These people only take a couple of hundred dollars.
          Elderly in the US have given in to the Nigerian scammers with their life savings. I had a friend who's grandma got scammed of her entire life savings worth $150,000. Sad to say they didn't either find the scammer or get her money back.

        • TScott on 17/07/2011 - 21:36
          +1

          @ spawnpoint. That reminds me, I was at the post office once (Westfield Doncaster, VIC). The poor old lady was trying to deposit some hundreds of cash into a bank account. But she was stopped by the post office women on the teller. The poor old lady could not believe what is happening, she didn't even know this type of scamming was real. Thank God she was stopped by the cashier woman at the post office. =)

  • Phil Anthropist on 17/07/2011 - 14:45
    +7

    Had a call from them a week or so ago - I reckon I got the trainee!

    He tells me that my computer has "germs". I struggled not to tell here where to get off right then but thought I'd string him along for a while.

    I asked him how he got the report or even how he knew that I had a PC - couldn't answer.

    Asked what kinds of "germs" - again drew a blank.

    After me hammering him for 5 mins I asked him what my IP address is "….ummmmm 1245wyq.frt……(more nonsense) at which point I just laughed at him and told him that he should go back to scam school 101 as he was just looking very stupid by now.

    He realised he had been well and truly rolled and decided to insult me by telling me to "shut up" repeatedly (he didn't even have the sense to just hang up the call). Oh I was mortally wounded by his vile insults bahahahahha.

  • Tal_Shiar on 17/07/2011 - 15:59
    +2

    Someone should play act these posts on video, of be in tears watching it on YouTube lolol

  • blue114 on 17/07/2011 - 16:53
    +3

    Just tell them Sashin Tendulkah is a cheat and a cr@p batsman. They go nuts. I had 3 of these calls on the same day.

  • [Deactivated] on 17/07/2011 - 18:13
    +8

    Have had the same. (I have shortened the dialogue of first conversation, to the essence of the discussion, believe me I had them on the phone for almost 10 minutes of talking)

    THEM - Microsoft trouble centre - we have detected you are having problems with your computer!

    ME - Yes, I have been waiting for your call

    THEM - (A puzzled pause), then some rave about, how important an issue etc… Can you see the Start button?

    ME - Oh how did you know that's the problem. I can't see that.

    THEM - Its in the left hand bottom corner….. X 3

    ME- Yes, thats right it's missing… X 3

    THEM - (A Puzzled Pause #2) ….. Are you sure it's missing.

    ME- Yes I am sure and I am glad you found this out…..

    THEM - Saying something about getting a senior technical support person. I could hear in back ground some Indians muttering things to each other.

    THEM - you need to log into this web page.

    ME - I'll do that…

    Now in essence we spend a few minutes, trying to get access via the we page, but its unsuccessful, partly due of course to me not putting in the correct details in case they really do get control of my computer… At no stage does the idiot ask me what type of computer I have.

    He gives up, and 10 minutes later someone else calls me back. They think they have alive prospect - gullible etc. We continue thru same routine, again no one asks me about the brand etc.

    In the end I kill the whole process by asking the person how they can live with themselves, preying on innocent people, to which they are puzzled.. then I mumble some magic sounding words and tell them if they stay in this job, they will be cursed and his first born child, and their first born will also be cursed….

    THEM - Solly Solly Solly - click. (Yep and they never knew it was a Mac… Ijiots!!)

    • joannatan on 17/07/2011 - 19:37

      next time just say to them acane acane (no no)

  • joannatan on 18/07/2011 - 00:48
    +2

    have anyone watched sbs program "king of calls? " last night
    http://player.sbs.com.au/programs#/programs_08/fullepisodes/…

    • [Deactivated] on 18/07/2011 - 02:41

      that was great! hard to see what they have to go through day to day though.

      • moooooooo on 19/07/2011 - 02:27

        Telephone surveys are much easier than telephone sales, but even then, the conversion rate from call to completion is brutal. I worked in a call centre during my uni student days and we just hated the people who wrote the surveys. The bosses worked on the theory that if you get someone to help you for 10 minutes in a survey, they'll help you for 25 minutes - conveniently overlooking the cries of "WTF!?!?" you'd get when the person answered the phone and was considering doing the survey - until they asked how long it would take. Once someone heard how long it would take, they almost invariably rejected the idea of participating.

        I'm glad I did the call centre job so I can understand the other end of the phone call, but I still have zero interest in supporting a scam like this computer support call. Surveys - I will do. Sales - I will listen politely to the pitch before (almost always) rejecting the opportunity to buy. When the folks from "Microsoft" call me, I'm happy to tell them which bus they can take on their journey to Hell.

    • spliniter on 18/07/2011 - 14:35

      :( i think i should be more nicer

    • joannatan on 18/07/2011 - 22:20
      +2

      one of the comment on this video that really touch me when the woman supervisor said "we can't be an american, but at least we can sound as human being, not like animals"

  • Cheeper on 22/07/2011 - 20:13

    Sorry… can't get over the Op.. must live in a coma?

    • Trance N Dance on 24/07/2011 - 21:52
      +1

      And they wonder why we get angry when they call us.

      • joannatan on 25/07/2011 - 01:18

        in fact, they are still talking very fast, even the supervisor have told them to slow down :)

  • justhooked on 14/09/2011 - 12:30

    They are still at it just had the call - kept them on for ages saying im sorry im new to all this sorry if I’ve done any wrong .they kept on trying to connect to my system ( which I was not letting them do ) .after a fare bit of time I put on another voice telling them they have been tracked and expect a raid with in minutes .they said your police cant touch us and hung up

    • drdolphin on 14/09/2011 - 14:05
      +1

      Wasting their time is the best bet. I read a while ago that these call centres see Australia as an easier target than the US or UK, as we tend to hang up if we know its a scam. They can then call mroe people. If we all waste their time, preventing them from making more calls and ensuring they get nothing from a long phone call, might stop them calling.

  • rd on 17/09/2011 - 02:55

    It is hard for foreigner to understand the weird accent.
    Pointless even regard as a conversation practice…

    Try to hire someone speaks English well next time.

    • EnALup on 17/09/2011 - 16:33

      More Education people will have some ethics not to join or leave as soon as possible with these false companies. They hire less educated people in need of money and even if 1 out of 100 is trapped, they have win win situation.
      I think, Aus. Govt. should take a serious stand for callers hiding in other countries and looting people.

  • cloudy on 17/09/2011 - 09:15

    What I would consider doing is ask them to wait while I get the computer and find something I can blast into the phone to give them a ear ache before hanging up. That'll teach them a lesson

  • A Banana4scale on 17/09/2011 - 18:48

    What I would be interested to know is how they get their cheap calls. Might be worth looking into the system they are using and implement it here

  • altomic on 01/10/2011 - 23:14
    +1

    just got another call from the caring and kind computer people (though not identifying themselves as microsoft this type.

    apparently they had detected rogue files that were going to cause my computer's HDD to crash at any moment.

    "OMG!!!" I saids to them, "what can I do?"

    they kindly explained that I should go to the start button.

    "but I don't have one!!!" I spoke to them.

    they explained that I should press the something buttons on the bottom left of my keyboard.

    "what!!" says I "next to the apple button"

    they mumbled something about macintosh and I hung up.

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