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I just had a real dodgy phone call! |
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#26 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: S.West England.
Posts: 18,032
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Keep getting spam texts and calls on my mobile and calls to our landline from Accident Direct, reference an accident I was supposed to be in a few days ago
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#27 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 43,100
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Quote:
I had one of these the other day. An Indian gentleman from 'Windows Security Centre' or something telling me there were error messages showing from my machine. I interrupted him by saying 'No there's not!' and then put the phone down. 1471 gave 'withheld'. If i had more time and imagination I'd have thought of something a bit more fun.
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#28 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sandy Heath, Beds. UK
Posts: 10,377
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If only DS had a computing forum we could put a sticky thread about this important topic.
Oh, there we go: http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1435992 |
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#29 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 10,780
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The thread is just as much about scam phone calls as it is about computing.
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#30 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 18,688
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Quote:
The thread is just as much about scam phone calls as it is about computing.
- who wouldn't know where to find the computing section who need to be warned about this. All the clever clogs wouldn't be taken in for a minute.They've tried me twice and, to my undying shame, nearly got me the first time. I actually turned on the pc and gave them one or two numbers but then got suspicious and hung up. The next time, I kept him talking for about half an hour. It was great fun I wondered who exactly was paying him and why I didn't have to pay him for providing this wonderful service; then told him the story about how the local computer shop charged me €50 to take the lid of a pen out of my printer one time; on and on I went until eventually he interupted and asked me to turn on the computer and I told him to sod off ![]()
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#31 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: S.West England.
Posts: 18,032
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i had a couple of minor issues with IE9 which I sorted myself. I remembered saying she had same symptoms, so I left on FB asking wether she was on 32bit or 64bit, she posted back.......?????????? no idea what that means, so I posted is it an i3, i5, i7, or older chipset....again, the post back was "..........no idea what I have". So I posted the exact explanation on what she had to do, like , go to this menu, do this, then this, post back was......."no idea what you mean-dont have a clue - will ring the PC people and get them to sort it".
Starting to think people should have to pass some sort of test before being allowed to buy a PC. Lastly, this is one of the people that posts loads of photos and does loads of stuff on the PC like printing pictures, and other people think this person is a PC wizz for being able to master this, but when some thing goes wrong, they dont have the slightest clue, and they dont even do backup's, let alone multiple backups - the person in question does her backup to the same hard drive , while another that had spent several years typing up a book had no backup at all and lost over 3 years of work when the hard drive failed .....maybe they should go back to a typewritter. |
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#32 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: dont know Ive lost my sat nav
Posts: 6,579
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If i get any call like that and they ask for me by name i always reply with..Im sorry he died last week...they always go away..
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#33 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 6,387
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Quote:
If i get any call like that and they ask for me by name i always reply with..Im sorry he died last week...they always go away..
![]() put a sob in her voice and asked if they could stop ringing as it was so upsetting.
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#34 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,506
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We've had loads of these calls,asking if our computer was ok and the first time I thought it was genuine because I didn't know they did scams like this. Didn't give him any info though, the terrible line connection alerted me to the fact they were probably scammers. Just told them my dad wouldn't be home for a few hours
![]() ![]() Where do they get your name and number from though? ![]() Are they just trolling the phone books? |
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#35 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: S.West England.
Posts: 18,032
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peoples phone numbers are sold to these sorts of companys.
(and its legal). |
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#36 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,116
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Anyone who falls for any cold calling scam (and its human to be too trusting if you are a nice soul) be very aware that you are now on a list as being an easy prey to these sorts of scams.
I know someone who has been caught out, but not only can I not get them to change their land line number they refuse to except the notion that a cold caller is only calling you for their financial benfit never yours. |
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#37 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 639
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Quote:
I had one of these calls this week too. (Is your PC on, are you in front of it now? etc). I then couldn't get a word in but eventually told her to shut up and give me my IP address if she was genuine. She did give me a number but it was clearly made-up and I terminated the call.
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#38 |
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Isle of Wight
Posts: 2,746
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Do the people ringing realise it is a scam, might just be some poor Indian peasant on the other end who thinks they're selling virus software.
If so they must find the English people quite offensive. ![]() must tell my FRENCH mate who told one of these scammers to F right off - they must have got the wrong number |
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#39 |
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,771
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Quote:
It's doubtful that the police would take an interest, as you aren't in any immediate danger. Besides, many of these type of calls are from overseas, so what can the police do?
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#40 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,771
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Quote:
If i get any call like that and they ask for me by name i always reply with..Im sorry he died last week...they always go away..
![]() The moral of this stroy is watch what you say, you never know what will happen as a result. If you don't believe me, have a look at some of my past threads and messages and the repliues they received. |
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#41 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,771
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Quote:
Love your dads humour
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#42 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 237
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I love winding these people up if I have time. Last call of this nature I decided to play the part of a computer illiterate OAP. Had the guy helping me navigate around the BIOS, then when I managed to get into Windows I said "ooh dear, there's a picture of a man's willy on the screen".
![]() He asked if he could call back and speak to my fictional son another time, I said "how about you never call this number again"? He suddenly went rather shy at that.
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#43 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 14,044
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I've never had one of these but I might keep a claxon by the phone just in case...
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#44 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,771
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Quote:
I've never had one of these but I might keep a claxon by the phone just in case...
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#45 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,771
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Did I say that if someone calls you asking you to dial a number like 9 or 0, it's a scam and they can use your line and you get billed?
Don't be fooled. |
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#46 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: London
Posts: 3,226
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Quote:
I few months ago I had a call from someone claiming to be from microsoft windows virus centre.
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#47 |
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Guest
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,228
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I've had possibly a dozen of these calls in recent years. They always start off the same way, "Hello, is that Mr.....I'm calling you about your computer problem". This immediately causes suspicion as I don't have a computer problem, so I reply with "what computer?" or "I don't have a computer". That completely throws them.
To the opening poster, even though you feel there was nothing on your laptop of use to them, and it's possible all they did was do a scan to find out if you had any problems they could sell software to correct, it's equally possible that they could have installed malicious software on it. That might include trojans allowing hackers access whenever you go online, or a keylogger. I would do a scan of your laptop for scumware, using something like Spybot Search & Destroy (freeware) - I know that sounds just like the caller, but it's tried & tested software with a solid reputation, free, and downloadable from Spybot's site. I wouldn't use the laptop to access any secure sites, such as your bank, until you are certain the laptop is clean of trojans. |
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#48 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,775
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Seriously, with these people you're meant to string them along. Play a part and join in their charade. Faff around asking what a computer is, what a desktop is, what a mouse is until they go insane. Then just at the very end to rub salt in the wound tell them you've been playing them along and that you will report them to the relevant authorities and have recorded the conversation to put on youtube.
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#49 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 559
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hi OP, if your computer is part of a 'network' of computers in your home that can access eachother through a router they may have gained access to other computers. Please run anti virus software and all computers attached to the laptop.
Also talking of dodgy calls, Dyson customers are being targeted at the mo, getting cold calls for 'servicing' their hoovers. they are fake so beware. Take care xxx P.S. sorry if anyone else has said what i have, i havent read through all of the posts! |
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#50 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: 50,000,000
Posts: 1,621
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My friend got caught with that one last year... ![]() Quote:
I few months ago I had a call from someone claiming to be from microsoft windows virus centre. They asked for me by name. They told me the type of computer I was using and that it was sending virus messages to this "department" within Microsoft so they were phoning me to help me detect this virus and eliminate it. Anyway after about an hour and a half of discussion and pushing this button and that button etc they informed me that I needed to purchace their anti virus for £200 and all would be well. I of course declined and suggested they should be on their way
.I am gobsmacked!!! When a company I deal with contact me and ask me for my password to confirm I am the account holder, I simply tell them I cannot be sure they are who they say they are and refuse any information. One company called me 6 times in the last two weeks want to offer me a better deal. However they soon got fed up when I refused to confirm who I was with secure passwords etc. |
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- who wouldn't know where to find the computing section who need to be warned about this. All the clever clogs wouldn't be taken in for a minute.
I wondered who exactly was paying him and why I didn't have to pay him for providing this wonderful service; then told him the story about how the local computer shop charged me €50 to take the lid of a pen out of my printer one time; on and on I went until eventually he interupted and asked me to turn on the computer and I told him to sod off 

.