Problem with your computer calls

[liljim]

This happens quite frequently in the UK, I'm just wondering whether it happens across the rest of the planet.

Some idiot calls you (usually from India) saying you have a problem with your computer and wants you to jump through a series of tests on your machine with the specific intent of installing something that will charge you huge sums of money or keylog your machine.

It's quite a well known scam (but if you didn't know about it, now you do. If you do know about it, maybe your parents or grandparents don't, so tell them to hang up on these guys).

I was at my parents' last night and they one of those calls, which I answered. As soon as he started his spiel, I said "I'll stop you there. I work with computers. There's nothing wrong with any of them in this house, goodbye" and hung up. That's usually enough to silence them.

This bastard called back screaming at me with "Your computer is sending lots of data to our servers!!!" haha.

So, any of you guys had this sort of call and if so, which country are you in?

[ZJ]

I live in Cincinnati, Ohio and I've never heard of anything like this. Sounds like something that would happen over an email or AIM message, but not a phone call.

[LiquidFire]

Never had this happen to me. But thanks for the heads up.

[killerrob]

All the fucking time. Smh

[Haggard]

Never heard of this before. But I think it won't be long until something like this happens here as well.

[liljim]

At 8/11/12 11:27 AM, Haggard wrote: Never heard of this before. But I think it won't be long until something like this happens here as well.

If your number is in the phone book, then when the victims run dry in the UK, they'll likely move the scam to other countries. So yes, you could be expecting this type of call in the future.

Also, I like how only ZJ has mentioned which country he is in and no other posts have. I know you're in Germany, so I'll let you off - but not the others.

[killerrob]

At 8/11/12 11:21 AM, killerrob wrote: All the fucking time. Smh

I'm living California right now, but it happens in Canada too.

[Carmilla]

I've never received any kind of call like that here in Oklahoma, US. I don't have a landline, though. I just use my cell. Also, since my husband used to be a police officer we've always kept our phone numbers unlisted.

[Evark]

At 8/11/12 10:55 AM, liljim wrote: So, any of you guys had this sort of call and if so, which country are you in?

Oh man... they're the worst. I spent upwards of a full week trying to fix someone's machine remotely, and then another full week fixing their machine in person because they got suckered into one of these schemes.

Here's how it works in full:
- They call you up and claim that your machine is infected and your information is at risk
- To fix it, they offer a free support session to diagnose the issue
- They then install 'amyyadmin' which is a remote support software (freeware) similar to Citrix GotoAssist or Remote Desktop.
- They then use that to install several viruses on your machine, probably to get your credit card information
- The virus is embedded in your 'restore last known good configuration' file.

It took me FOREVER to clean that shit out. I was able to get the machine completely cleaned each time, but as soon as I touched the registry to fix the entry that wasn't allowing me to install a REAL antivirus solution on the machine, it would reboot and the virus would return. The best way to remove it is with Kaspersky Rescue Disk, which is an ISO of a LINUX boot disk with KAV on it. That way, you don't boot into windows at all and it's easy to remove. Make sure you confirm that it's removed the embedded virii in your system restore points (this is where 'use last known good configuration' will fuck you over and undo hours of your effort if you don't). If it doesn't or can't get to them, boot into windows and delete all your last system restore points, then remove the virus.

This occurred in Massachusetts.

[straberrykiler6789]

At 8/11/12 10:55 AM, liljim wrote: Some idiot calls you (usually from India) saying you have a problem with your computer and wants you to jump through a series of tests on your machine with the specific intent of installing something that will charge you huge sums of money

BUT IF YOU DON'T DOWNLOAD THERE SPY SHERIFF RIP-OFF OVER THE PHONE
your computer may rut too fast and your internet may run at a decent speed

THE HORROR

there are worse scams im not talking about petty windows defender rip-offs that take 20 minuets to get rid of
i am talking about the ones that encrypt files and disable safe mode and ctrl alt delete

the ones sent from the bowels of hell itself claiming to be the police or Microsoft

but if they are trying to sell you there wonderful product over the phone they want to help you
don't end up like this person

[Rocinante]

Can't say I've heard of this scam (Eastern USA). I wonder if it's a bunch of people in a little room working for some scam company or if it's just a single few people doing it on their own free time. I imagine that many not so computer savvy people fall for it all the time too.

[straberrykiler6789]

At 8/11/12 01:36 PM, Tramps wrote:

At 8/11/12 01:02 PM, straberrykiler6789 wrote: but if they are trying to sell you there wonderful product over the phone they want to help you
don't end up like this person

You're an idiot.

If you miss out on loading screens you miss out on valuable life experience

[Dosensuppen]

Never got any. I'm in the US. If I do, I'm probably gonna mess with them.

Why doesn't the India thing surprise me?

[liljim]

At 8/11/12 01:18 PM, Otto wrote: I like to put my little brother on the phone to these guys when they call. He's seven and doesn't really know what they're saying too well, so I tell him to just let them know about how his day's been.

Haha. That's a tactic a lot of my friends do with their kids. Anyone calling the land-line gets subjected to the responses of toddlers. I don't even keep my land-line phone on these days, as I've been plagued by some guy from Ireland calling in sick for work for years (really early in the morning, long before I ever wake up) despite my number not being listed - I guess he just wrote the wrong number down and keeps calling it.

[Raab]

Thanks for the heads up, Liljim.

I'll let my parents know!

[straberrykiler6789]

At 8/11/12 06:34 PM, liljim wrote: I've been plagued by some guy from Ireland calling in sick for work for years (really early in the morning, long before I ever wake up) despite my number not being listed - I guess he just wrote the wrong number down and keeps calling it.

Give me the number on caller id

[DoctorStrongbad]

I live in South Florida and I've never heard of this. I will keep an eye open.

[Grub-Xer0]

Whoever believes these types of phone calls are complete idiots.

[Raab]

At 8/11/12 08:31 PM, Otto wrote:

At 8/11/12 08:30 PM, Grub-Xer0 wrote: Whoever believes these types of phone calls are complete idiots.

That's the sad thing; they must make most of their money off the mentally disadvantaged. It's real deppressing.

...or the computer illiterate.

(like our parents/grandparents)

[Halberd]

I remember one of them called my dad and he was bored so he went through with the call deliberately and just to waste the person's time he went through some of the steps then at one point he swore at the scammer and hung up

[Luke]

It has happened to both my grandmother a few times, as well as my brother.
My brother had some fun with it, and asked if the program causing the problem was diablo2.exe or whatever the title of the .exe is, and the man said "Oh yeah, that's the one!"

It is just a pathetic attempt at a scam, I can't believe people have fallen for it before.

This is in Canada, by the way!

[Gimmick]

At 8/11/12 10:55 AM, liljim wrote: So, any of you guys had this sort of call and if so, which country are you in?

Haha, what an idiot. No I haven't had this problem, and I live in

Some idiot calls you (usually from India)

India.

wait a second...

[Ssilver7]

I've had the call a few times in Australia. Caller from assumeably India with an assumed westernized name from "Your ISP" claiming they have monitored infected activity.

Telling them you don't have a computer is usually enough to get them to hang up instantly.