yet another 'windows' scam

[Rex R]

I didn't fall for the 'tech support scam' so they switched tactics, the windows license key expired nonsense that my computer's license had expired so MS had shut down all services...yeah right, MS doesn't do phone calls! if you get one of these calls and are of a mind to do so, jot down the phone number and report it to Microsoft support.
Rex

 

[tightwad]

Thanks Rex, for the heads-up.

 

[Rex R]

you're welcome.
when I looked it up I found that is fairly new scam that started about May 2016. the crooks apparently target area codes. figured since it was new to me it would likely be new to others.
oh, and btw the IRS doesn't do phone notifications either, they do registered mail.
Rex

 

[dr wogz]

Do your (US) IRS scams threaten jail time?

We had a rash of 'Revenue Agency' calls with threats of Immediate arrest & jail time..

Wondering if they're all the same, regardless of country..

 

[Bat-mite]

Do your (US) IRS scams threaten jail time?

We had a rash of 'Revenue Agency' calls with threats of Immediate arrest & jail time..

Wondering if they're all the same, regardless of country..

Same folks. They're all working out of India or Africa or Pakistan or someplace.

Fantasy scenario:

IRS phone notification training center, Washington, DC: "Okay, class, now, once you have told them that they owe back taxes, make sure you follow up with the sentence, 'And you'd better pay up, or else you're going to get arrested.' Okay, now, everyone repeat after me -- 'And you'd better pay up, or else you're going to get arrested.' Don't forget to say that! Class dismissed."

 

[ksaves2]

I didn't fall for the 'tech support scam' so they switched tactics, the windows license key expired nonsense that my computer's license had expired so MS had shut down all services...yeah right, MS doesn't do phone calls! if you get one of these calls and are of a mind to do so, jot down the phone number and report it to Microsoft support.
Rex

Better yet. Tell'em, even if you have to lie, that the only computers you use are Linux machines and won't touch WinBlows. They made a mistake calling you. You can do this "even" if you do use Windows and have no issues with it.
It's simply an erudite obfuscated reply.

I will say I have some Chinese dual boot tablets one Windows 10/Android and one Windows 8.1/Android both with GWX on them. Of course that doesn't do too much with the Win10 machine as it's already "zombiefied" but it does allow me to
clean up some of the disk space. On the 8.1 machine it does prevent MS from downloading Gbs of crap to the MicroSD card "in case" I want to upgrade to 10. (I don't.)

The gist of this is WinBlows deviously gives me pop-ups to "activate" the OS but so far, it hasn't shutdown. Also tries to get me to "open" up some switches which I refuse. I usually just use the Wifi to get apps or I download apps from a Linux box and load from a
USB or memory stick.

Lest one think I'm paranoid. (I'm not) But I don't want an OS clogging up my pricey MicoSD card disk space with BS files that I won't need nor I will ever use. That's the deal. I don't do prurient stuff cause' I don't care if big brother sees I spend time on rocket and Ham
Radio sites.

 

[Bat-mite]

Better yet. Tell'em, even if you have to lie, that the only computers you use are Linux machines and won't touch WinBlows. They made a mistake calling you. You can do this "even" if you do use Windows and have no issues with it.
It's simply an erudite obfuscated reply.

I will say I have some Chinese dual boot tablets one Windows 10/Android and one Windows 8.1/Android both with GWX on them. Of course that doesn't do too much with the Win10 machine as it's already "zombiefied" but it does allow me to
clean up some of the disk space. On the 8.1 machine it does prevent MS from downloading Gbs of crap to the MicroSD card "in case" I want to upgrade to 10. (I don't.)

The gist of this is WinBlows deviously gives me pop-ups to "activate" the OS but so far, it hasn't shutdown. Also tries to get me to "open" up some switches which I refuse. I usually just use the Wifi to get apps or I download apps from a Linux box and load from a
USB or memory stick.

Lest one think I'm paranoid. (I'm not) But I don't want an OS clogging up my pricey MicoSD card disk space with BS files that I won't need nor I will ever use. That's the deal. I don't do prurient stuff cause' I don't care if big brother sees I spend time on rocket and Ham
Radio sites.

Why not just tell them you don't own a computer?

 

[soopirV]

There was a report of a scam in our area on a sweepstakes win, which predictably says you need to pay a processing fee...nothing remarkable, but what surprised me was that when the man who was called (79, but sharp as a tack, thankfully) said, "baloney!" the caller threatened him saying that they have people in AZ, and he will be killed. To the resident's credit, his reply was classic: "I'll keep my Glock on me then!".

Link: https://www.kvoa.com/story/33315316/n4t-investigators-jackpot-hustle

 

[markkoelsch]

This is not so much a Windows scam as a pray on stupid people scam. Any system can be hijacked if you grant folks access to do so. I do not care what operating system it is- it can be jacked if you give away the keys to the kingdom.

 

[Bat-mite]

There was a report of a scam in our area on a sweepstakes win, which predictably says you need to pay a processing fee...nothing remarkable, but what surprised me was that when the man who was called (79, but sharp as a tack, thankfully) said, "baloney!" the caller threatened him saying that they have people in AZ, and he will be killed. To the resident's credit, his reply was classic: "I'll keep my Glock on me then!".

Link: https://www.kvoa.com/story/33315316/n4t-investigators-jackpot-hustle

I like this guy!

 

[H_Rocket]

We have been facing a major Windows scam where I work.


Oh wait a minute, we meant to roll that out.

 

[ksaves2]

Why not just tell them you don't own a computer?

That's a good one too. My wife won't touch one. Kurt

 

[chrisudy]

I had one of those windows scammers on the phone for 15 minutes once. It was fun. Then I told him my cousin is US secret service and my brother in law is US DHS officer. He couldn't hang up fast enough. 😆

 

[les]

I've told them that we don't have admin privileges and I need to connect them to our IT department.

They hung up real quick :wink:

 

[rcktnut]

Been called by the IRS and several obvious other scams, I answer and they get a full scale FU scumbags and I hang up. Don't have to block them, they never call back the second time.

 

[markkoelsch]

We have been facing a major Windows scam where I work.


Oh wait a minute, we meant to roll that out.

Crypto virus, Al? Computers are evil.

 

[Dave A]

IRS phony called my colleague, he knew it was a scam and was playing with him, he told my friend to go to the top of this bldg and jump off!

 

[H_Rocket]

Crypto virus, Al? Computers are evil.

Epic Hyperspace update.

 

[dhbarr]

Panhandlers get a "no thanks", call scammers get a "no" followed by me mashing button tones.

Avg. interaction is <30 sec.

 

[OverTheTop]

My usual comment is for them to get a real job before they get put in jail for fraud. They hang up quite quickly after that.

 

[cherokeej]

I got a call from some clown said he was a sheriff's deputy, and had an arrest warrant for me because I missed jury duty. That was a fun one. I kept that idiot on the line for a good 15 minutes. The last thing I told him was "If you put this much effort into something legit, you might do well."

 

[Zeus-cat]

I had a call to lower my interest rate the other day. I was doing the dishes so I just put it on speaker and tied the guy up for 10 minutes. I wouldn't give him my credit card number as I said he should have it if he was with the bank. Next time I get a call like that I think I will start to give them a credit card number (one I make up on the spot obviously), and then pause and ask how I know this is legit.

 

[Cabernut]

I had one of those windows scammers on the phone for 15 minutes once. It was fun. Then I told him my cousin is US secret service and my brother in law is US DHS officer. He couldn't hang up fast enough. &#62982;

I actually have a cousin that works for the NSA. It's tempting to ask for a favor next time I get one of those scam calls. Probably not worth his time though. Even if you track them down, nothing we can do other than report to their police over there.

There's a youtube video floating around where the guy sets up a virtual machine to let a scammer gain access, and then the scammer screws up and lets this guy he called get access to his computer instead.

 

[dr wogz]

For one particular company that's repeatedly cold calling and asking for Mr..., I've resorted to just saying: "Hold on a sec" and put the phone down. I soon here the 'beep-beep-beeep' of the open line..

(Seriously, this one particular company calls about once a week, "factory Direct Doors & windows" "I told you last week & the week before and the week before that, we don't need no stinkin' windows!" And tomorrow, when I do decide I want new windows, why would I support / contact you?!)

 

[Bat-mite]

For one particular company that's repeatedly cold calling and asking for Mr..., I've resorted to just saying: "Hold on a sec" and put the phone down. I soon here the 'beep-beep-beeep' of the open line..

(Seriously, this one particular company calls about once a week, "factory Direct Doors & windows" "I told you last week & the week before and the week before that, we don't need no stinkin' windows!" And tomorrow, when I do decide I want new windows, why would I support / contact you?!)

Probably more convincing to say you just got your windows replaced than to say you don't want to replace them. In the latter case, they might think they can wear you down, but if you just replaced them, it's obvious you're not going to do it again.

In all honesty, I just got a new roof and new windows within the last five years. So when the door-to-door "we're doing some work in your neighborhood" guys come to call, I can tell them truthfully that I just got a new roof and new windows.

I had one recently who said, "What about your siding?"

I asked, "What about my siding? What's wrong with it?"

He said, "Well, it's getting old."

I said, "So what? It's vinyl. It doesn't rust and it doesn't rot. Why would I replace it?"

He said, "Well, do you like the color? You could get a new color."

And I said, "The HOA won't let me change the color without a lot of hoopla."

He shrugged, and that was the end of that.

 

[SDramstad]

Looks like they nailed some.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-37564408

It's like whack-a-mole. Nail some and 3 others pop up.

 

[LW Bercini]

I got one of those calls recently. I answered in my very best DJ voice: "Hello! You're on the air!"

There was a pause and I went on to say, "What is the phrase that pays?"

I could hear hushed conversation in a heavy Indian accent, then the line went dead:lol:

 

[OverTheTop]

I had a company ring me to sell me carpet, but I said to them that we had a mud-brick house with rammed-earth floors that were held together with dried pigs blood, so we didn't need carpet.

 

[Zeus-cat]

I had a company ring me to sell me carpet, but I said to them that we had a mud-brick house with rammed-earth floors that were held together with dried pigs blood, so we didn't need carpet.

That had to leave them scratching their heads.

 

[ksaves2]

I had a company ring me to sell me carpet, but I said to them that we had a mud-brick house with rammed-earth floors that were held together with dried pigs blood, so we didn't need carpet.

Man 'o man that is great. You should be a comedian if you can come up with that comeback so fast. Kurt