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Old 14-03-2012, 15:48
Andy2
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Just had another nice Indian gent on the phone.
After introducing himself as a member of the 'Windows tech team', he started me off down the well-worn route of the event viewer.
I strung him along for a while ('oh dear, my my, look at all those red crosses and yellow triangles!') and then of course came the inevitable referral to a teamviewer (ie remote control) site.
After crashing a couple of times (oh it took a little while to recover...), a warning panel appeared.......

Me: "Do you want to know what it says in the panel?"

Mr Tech: "Er yes, tell me what it says pliz"

Me: "These people are criminal tw*ts who want to take control of your computer and empty your wallet. Stop now!"

Him: "Do you wish to know what has come on at this end?"

Me: "Oh yes please, I'd be delighted!"

Him (struggling to find the words): "You are... the most ....motherf*cker in your life!"

Now I'm an ornery type of chap who can claim to have insulted some of the crowned heads of Europe, so I would have loved to play awhile, but the chicken-livered girly put the phone down.
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Old 14-03-2012, 17:33
No-One
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Him (struggling to find the words): "You are... the most ....motherf*cker in your life!"
I'd have replied something like "Is that how a legitimate, professional company would speak to customers?"
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Old 22-03-2012, 12:40
catsitter
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This one made me laugh so much:
Him: "Hello, Mrs (surname), my name is Alex, calling from Computer Maintenance Department"
Me: "Computer maintenance department of what?"
Him: "Computer maintenance department of... your computer!"
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Old 04-04-2012, 20:35
Enidan
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I stupidly fell for this in a moment of weakness a few years ago.

All my anti virus was disabled and and my computer was stuffed. When I finally managed to get rid of the main Trojan and re-enable spybot it found over 200 viruses, malware and adware had been put into my PC. It took about 3 weeks solid to disinfect my computer and whilst I was doing this I deleted all my Windows software by mistake and then couldn't find the CD to reinstall it.

Oh yes I can laugh now, but the time it was a painful experience. I then got these same phones calls for months after nearly everyday, I dealt with them in various ways depending on my mood but I like the sports whistle approach mentioned earlier on the thread.
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:25
mrbramble
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I keep getting a call from this number..01616567956..they say they are from AOL..it is a scam. I frequently get called but no one is on the line..this is to get you to call that number and you will be charged a high amount. There is a good site called "who called me" you type in the number and read all the other comments from people who have been harrassed by the number.I never trust a cold caller..
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:31
anniebrion
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I keep getting a call from this number..01616567956..they say they are from AOL..it is a scam. I frequently get called but no one is on the line..this is to get you to call that number and you will be charged a high amount. There is a good site called "who called me" you type in the number and read all the other comments from people who have been harrassed by the number.I never trust a cold caller..
http://www.whophonedme.co.uk/01616567956
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:32
mrbramble
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Thats the one..it is very useful
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:33
James2001
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There's no way you'd get charged a high amouint from an 0161 number, it's the code for manchester, not a premium rate line.
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:34
mrbramble
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I would not advise you to give it a try!
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:52
RobinOfLoxley
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I keep getting a call from this number..01616567956..they say they are from AOL..it is a scam. I frequently get called but no one is on the line..this is to get you to call that number and you will be charged a high amount. There is a good site called "who called me" you type in the number and read all the other comments from people who have been harrassed by the number.I never trust a cold caller..
It is AOL. They are probably trying to convince you to upgrade your package 'to save you money'.

The call centre workers use the telephone number database. You can't tell them to stop.

But you can change your AOL (UK) and AOL Broadband Marketing Preferences.

You'll need to sign in. Takes up to 3 weeks for the database to be updated.

I was getting 3 calls a day from them. Drove me mad till I found out.
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Old 05-04-2012, 11:59
alan1302
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I keep getting a call from this number..01616567956..they say they are from AOL..it is a scam. I frequently get called but no one is on the line..this is to get you to call that number and you will be charged a high amount. There is a good site called "who called me" you type in the number and read all the other comments from people who have been harrassed by the number.I never trust a cold caller..
If you have searched on the number why do you think it is a scam when it’s not a scam but a marketing call from AOL/Talk Talk?
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Old 05-04-2012, 12:52
kaycee
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I kept getting calls mainly about "the trouble I was experiencing with windows on my computer".

After about 5 calls, I strung the guy along for a while, and then told him the only problem I really had with Windows was that I didn't own a computer to put it on ................... a lie, of course, but threw him completely, and I've not been bothered since.
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Old 17-04-2012, 13:35
sofieellis
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I just had a phone call from an Indian lady telling me to turn on my computer, so she could talk me through a procedure, which will help me with all the problems I'm having with Windows, and get rid of all the viruses which my PC has become infected with. (I haven't had any problems)

I asked her if she was well paid for phoning random people and telling them this nonsense. She told me I was a "nonsense person"!
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Old 27-04-2012, 20:17
M. Tourette
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I'm not on a Windows computer so when I get the phone call I know it's bo11ocks.
I string them along for as long a time as possible, my theory is that if they are occupied by me then they cannot be duping some one who might not know of the scam. A woman usually starts who then puts you through to the "technical dept" these are the guys whose time needs wasting.

So...

I ask them to wait while I answer the door

I ask them to wait while i need to reboot my computer as it is slow from all the viruses I have got

I can't find the windows button - where is it?

My PC is telling me weird instructions, what does a ?

could they hold on while I take food out of the oven?

If you can do the voice of a really old person they love it even more and will hold on for ages

BUT as has been said here they really get nasty once they find out, calling you and your supposed family all sorts of names, Thank goodness I do not have a sister because she had all sorts of depraved things threatened.

And yes they do try again and again so they are obviously really stupid or there are loads of them.
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Old 04-05-2012, 22:31
captainlockheed
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Basically I am sick and tired of getting these calls every day from India, is there any way of stopping it ?

I feel sorry for the people who don't know it's a ascam
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Old 04-05-2012, 22:53
dsnik
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Have you seen the sticky (pinned) thread at the top of the page?
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Old 05-05-2012, 16:47
Smiley433
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There's no way of stopping them making the call. However you can consider...

a) giving up the land-line. This may be impractical if using it for a home business or you have no mobile phone or reception
b) asking your line provider to block incoming International or withheld calls
c) change your land-line number but this is costly and the likelyhood is they will dial your new number anyway
d) get caller ID and do not answer International, Withheld and Unavailable numbers
e) buy a phone that can block International calls or has a silent ring tone for withheld numbers so you never know they are calling you
f) screen all calls using an answer machine
g) invest in something like a TrueCall device which does the call screening and answering for you without you needing to know you were being called in the first place
h) answer the call and go all weird on the phone - "What are you wearing? I'm not wearing anything. Do you like cats? I've got two cats, would you like to talk to them? How do you sleep at night knowing you are scamming people?" They might then get the message.
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Old 05-05-2012, 18:50
plugs13amp
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Screening calls along with the right outgoing message can be very effective. Mine simply says "All calls are screened, if you do not identify yourself you will not be answered. Or we may just be out so please leave a message".

Very rarely does the message get past "All calls are screened..." before the line clicks off.

Since most of these calls appear Indian in origin, I found a nice synthetic Indian lady called Anjali at AT&T's Natural Voice research website to speak my message with the callers native accent. I had to play with the spelling and the spaces a bit to get the pronunciation and phrasing exactly correct, but you can download the generated wav file.

It threw most of my friends the first time they heard it, but its pretty much eliminated the pestering calls.
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Old 05-05-2012, 20:29
stevensdrs
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Brilliant link, gonna use that on my answerphone for a laugh.
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Old 06-05-2012, 14:52
tealady
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I think d) in #3 is the simplest option. Bad news that you get this call so often. We average 1 int call a day looking the call list, but I don't answer unless I feel like being 'challenging'.
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Old 06-05-2012, 15:42
Old ma oggy
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Maybe try saying...."One moment please whilst I put you through to the fraud department"...
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Old 06-05-2012, 18:43
coachtrip_fan99
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just do what I did, lie....... and say "I don't have a computer"
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Old 06-05-2012, 19:44
cnbcwatcher
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Tell them you have a Mac or you use Linux.
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Old 06-05-2012, 19:55
AVTECH
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as in smiley433's answer part h.
Go pseudo religious on them i.e have you accepted Jesus into your life? or have you spoken with God today? After a few calls it seems to stop
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Old 06-05-2012, 20:08
Thine Wonk
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Tell them you have a Mac or you use Linux.
They have a script for that too.
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