Fake Tech Support Calls: Anyone else get them?

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I get a phone call from a number I don't recognize and the caller has a heavy accent and claims to be from Microsoft, and starts asking me for personal information. I said "I want to confirm this with Microsoft headquarters first before I do anything." Next thing I know he hangs up on me and hasn't called back since. Has this ever happened to anyone else?

[remnar]

I've had a few of those calls but it's probably been about a year since the last one. I was in a weird mood one day and kept one of those guys on the phone for quite a while. He told me my computer had viruses and he was calling (from Microsoft) to help me get rid of them. I strung him along talking about how terrible my computer was running and how bad the viruses were while giving him a bunch of information that I just made up. I think he eventually figured it out and just hung up.

A couple of days ago a got a phone call with a recorded message that said I was being sued by the IRS and I was directed to call a phone number that they listed. That, of course, was a scam and I reported the number to the IRS.

[anagarika]

Some if these calls are weird and ended up with either personal info taken by the scammer or they ended up accessing your computer and installing malware.

Always a good policy to check with publicly listed call center.

[demoncase]

I find that all and any cold caller is best responded to with a curt, crisp 2 word phrase....the second word of which is "Off". :D

I also like the Bangalore accent that you get on these calls where they start with "Hallo sir, my name is Peter..." and I cut them off with:
"No- it's not, mate- it's Gurprit or Sanjeeve or something....Don't start our relationship with a lie. Look, I'm from Wolverhampton and 15% of the population are from India or Pakistan. I can cope with someone with a non-Western first name."
".....Ah....Yes sir, it's actually Ranjit, sir.....well, it's about your laptop's security being compromised"
"Is it?....Well, good for you, Ranjit....Now, sod off" :)

[The Deacon]

Don't recall ever getting one back in NY, although I'd heard of the scam back when I was with the AG's Office. But they seem to be trying to make up for lost time, as I've received quite a few of them over the five years I've been down here. Depending on my mood, I either just hang up, give them a two word reply similar to demoncase's, accuse them of being cyber terrorists and tell them they've been reported to Homeland Security, or pretend to go along with them to see how long I can keep them from attempting to victimize anyone else.

Also get calls from the "US Lottery Commission" and Publishers Clearing House telling me I've won millions of dollars.

[El Gato]

The lack of these calls tends to give me the feeling that no one wants to support me, "technically" or otherwise, which I guess is okay.
Perhaps the word has gotten around to the third world scammers that I am a rather anti social sob, which is also okay......... :mad:
No calls so far, but then I seldom answer a call from a number I don't recognize. Such is life.

[Doc Dan]

These guys also like to call and act like bill collectors and scare information out of unwitting relatives that think you are in trouble. Then they use that information to steal from you.

[Ankerson]

I never answer anything I don't know what it is.

[demoncase]

Addendum:

In the UK, the overwhelming majority of these cold-callers are from call centres in Bangalore- I visit that place once a year for work, and as you drive south of the city centre there is a whole sub-city of smoked-glass highrise call centres built for this purpose alone, so it's not a stereotype at all.

However, recently I had a cold caller with a Scouse accent (that's Liverpool) ask me about my house insurance and the exchange went thus:
Scouser "Eeeeh. Hullo there sir, we have reason to believe yav bin missold yer 'ouse insurance"
Me "Wow. Ok- a question if I may?"
Scouser "Alright aar kid"
Me "Are you actually calling me from Liverpool?"
Scouser "Oh yeah, we're a UK based business"
Me "Wow- so how does it feel knowing that you are cheaper than someone in India? Does that make Liverpool part of the Third World?"
:D

[Echo63]

I dont get scam calls.

I do enjoy playing along when i visit mum + dads though.

"Hello i am from microsoft calling about a virus in your computer"

"Yes"

"Could you go to your computer please"

"Yes"

"Can you click on blahblah"

"Hang on, gotta turn it on first"
Wait 3 mins the play MAC startup tone off my phone
"Sorry, its a bit slow, its just starting up now"

"Are you connected to the internet"

"Hang on"

Play dialup modem noise down the line at a rediculous volume, and hang up.

I havent had one realise its the mac startup "bonggggg" that i play, instead of the windows noise yet.


A previous employer got spam calls too, if they called after 4pm fridays, we were tidying not working anyway, so the boss let is have a little fun.
Our record was 43 mins and bouncing the call through 17 departments.
Not bad for a tiny company with 5 employees.

The spam fax mob didnt appreciate our reply either, the top half of their order form, followed by about a metre and a half of black card, which we would loop around and send through the machine a few times.
Nothing like remotely emptying their paper tray and toner.........

[Pinetreebbs]

Microsoft never calls, even if you have the ultimate top tier support level. The IRS and court clerks don't call either, they are just criminals looking to separate you from your money.

If you don't recognise the caller just let your voicemail or answering machine take a message, if it's really important they will leave a message. Don't believe everything that shows up on caller ID, there are ways to hide the information or make a fake number appear.

[chuck_roxas45]

I usually give false info to suspicious callers...

[JAfromMN]

I'm with chuck ^

[Matrix Dweller]

I got one of those calls a couple of years back, telling me my Microsoft computer had a virus. I just kept saying I didn't care, if my computer stopped working I'd just get a new Walmart special like the current PC. He put me through to his supervisor and I kept saying I don't care. He called me a masochist or a motherf***er, couldn't understand the thick accent. I hung up after that :D

[c.joe]

You gotta treat them like this :P

https://youtu.be/8FtrmT29qZ8

[BostonTom]

I've been getting calls I won a condo in Florida. I can't hit $2 on a scratch card never mind win a condo. Although my luck I did and they have moved on to the runner up because the winner wouldn't except it.
Seriously, this whole Country/World has way too many coward, scum bag scam artists.. I'd respect someone a lot more if they stuck a gun in my face to rob me. I'm crazy enough to hope they have a dirty jammed gun and won't give up my wallet before I try and jam it down their throat.

[chuck_roxas45]

I got a text telling me I won a few hundred thousand pesos. I told the texter that I had so much money and that he could keep the money I won...

[Malfeasant]

Yep those guys from "Microsoft" were calling me weekly, the first time I was suspicious and quickly Googled what he was asking me to look up on my pc. I said "this is a scam" he immediately hung up. The last time was months ago and I wasted as much of their time as possible just like remnar did. They haven't called me since. :D

[Reject]

I call got one these calls and they ask for me by name.
Which was very badly pronounced in a heavy south Asian accent.

“Can I speak to Mr Smiiiiffz.”

I replied: “That will be detective sergeant Smith to you thankyou!”

Response: “Sorry!” click!

:o My apologies to all the law enforcement officers out there.

[remnar]

I just had one those calls from Michael at Microsoft Tech Support. I told him that my computer had a big problem to string him along. He asked me to go to my computer so that he could help me with the problem. Eventually he wanted me to turn my computer on and I asked him how that was going to help. I told him that the problem was that my "x" key fell off and asked if he was going to send me a new one. He insisted that was not the problem, but I insisted it was. I explained that I couldn't type any words with the letter x and kept asking if he would send me a new key. He was getting frustrated and told me that I should just buy a new keyboard. I told him that my computer was a laptop so I really just needed a new x key. He then told me that I should just throw the laptop away. After that, he suddenly had another call and hung up on me.

What the heck am going to about my "x" now? :D