Your computer is sending out error messages SCAM

[rotare]

We were getting a few a while back.  These callers were the ones that would talk for 30 seconds before you could get a word in.

Decided to have some fun with the next one that called, so after they had finished their 30 second spiel, I politely asked them to hold the line, then switched on the stereo and put the phone down near the speaker.  A couple of minutes later I came back, politely apologised for putting them on "hold", then asked them to repeat their 30 second spiel.  At the end of that spiel, I said I was sorry but I would have to put them on hold again, and before they had time to respond the phone goes near the speaker again - this time for five minutes.

When I pick up the phone the second time, the caller is irrate and hangs up on me!  I could have played this game all day and the wife was p*ssing her pants in the background!  Whether coincidence or not, only had to play that game 1 or 2 more times before the annoying phone calls stopped.....

[SteveandViv]

I wish the telcos would hurry up and turn on the call blocking feature they have in the US. You setup your contacts in the phone and if the caller's number isn't in your contact list then the call goes direct to voicemail or the bin.

It work really well. I like the fact you can , as you say add a caller list and then any one not on it can be treated as you want. I set ours up to say

" You are not known by the caller. Please state you name and I check if they want to talk to you"

your phone then rings and announces the caller. If you want you can accept and if not p1ss them off. The you set up time tables so that late or when ever you can go to Voice Mail. The system can then call you back at say 8am and deliver your overnight messages.

[D4D]

I don't want the phone to ring at all when I am at home.

[WilSurf]

We had a call from another company, saying they don't sell anything but wanted to show us how we could save on tax.
They knew a few things about us.
My wife told me that 2 days before someone had called and asked questions and she gave very general answers, only confirming what they said.
So they get info out of you, then they try to sell things to you.

[Mallory Black]

Sure fire way to not get these calls is

• have an unlisted number
  be careful what sweepstakes and other competitions you sign up for
  have a

really good virus protection

I do occiasionally get the odd call, they are tremendous fun.
reminds me of the wrong number call that danny DiVito tool in ruthless people

[D4D]

Sure fire way to not get these calls is

• have an unlisted number

How does an unlisted number stop auto-dialers that call a range of numbers rather than just listed numbers?

[noel_w]

Basically it doesn't. I have 3 numbers at home only one of which is listed (2 physical, one virtual) and they all ring in numerical order usually about 20 mins apart. We get the first call, give them the runaround on it & don't answer the other two calls. Caller id usually shows "private" or "overseas" or sometimes an actual number but it's usually a voip number range if it is. Auto dialler calls usually have a blank time period after you answer & before it hands over to the agent, another giveaway.

[terravista]

My daughter go caught 3 months ago with this scam and paid them $200 to "fix and reset" her computer as they talked her through the fix.
She called us while they had access to her comp. and we told her to disconnect it from the net immediately.
After that, she needed a new computer.
She reported it, but nothing could be done, so she wrote it off as a learning experience.
Now the second phase has started. They are calling her to say they made a mistake with the payment, and need her bank details, and computer access, and they will refund the original $200.
Apparently her level of trust has deteriorated. A bit of time wasting followed by abuse looks like it stopped them for a while.

[WilSurf]

That is sad.
And we are wondering why everyone don't trust everyone anymore?

[dazzawhipple]

I always say hi I have torrets.........................longest i had on the phone was 20 minutes until the abusive language gets to them.....

[gibbo301]

I tell them i dont own a computer and they hang up 

[Hairs]

The amount of people I know that have been caught by this, well it amazes me. A few friends have been and yet we've spoken about it many time. Just like the people who send emails telling you how viruses and Malware can be in the forwarded emails and they forward everything they get.
Unfortunately people will still believe these scumbags and people will still get ripped off.
Hmmm

[theins]

I know this thread is somewhat old - please move if not appropriate.

It appears that this continues - I have just had a call claiming to be from Telstra and threatening to cancel my internet access as my PC is completely corrupted. They offered to show me how to remove the offending files and asked me to go to the following webpages:
- VDNOIR.com
- Teamviewer.com
- showmypc.com

The reason there are three pages is that refused to go to the pages due to a warning of my anti-virussoftware. Then they tried a second one and a third one... he even got his supervisor to help... When I continued to refuse they threatened again to cancel my internet access with Telstra... Which does not concern me, as I do not have my internet with Telstra....

I have not accessed either of the sites above, but thought I'd post them as warning.

All up I managed to waste 25 min of his time... gee, I must be bored if I am getting entertainment out of this...

[Bird]

teamviewer is ok if used correctly... but in this case it wouldn't have been...

[GeoffA]

...... I have just had a call claiming to be from Telstra and threatening to cancel my internet access as my PC is completely corrupted. They offered to show me how to remove the offending files......

I had a similar call a while ago (we get a few).
I told him to cancel my internet access.
He hung up...

[ATC]

I had one a few months ago.

I was glad they called, but despite my enthusiasm they were unable to fix my windows problem.

Turns out they can't help people running Windows For Workgroups 3.11 on a Wombat (Apple IIe clone)

[Reddirtroaming]

We had the Microsoft call a while before we left. We had been getting a few & were sick of them so my hubby decided it was game on.

Conversation went like this

Scam - "Hello this is such & such from Microsft there seems to be a problem with your computer".

Mat playing along - "oh really that sounds bad, can you help me with that"

Scam - "certainly sir can you please turn on your computer?"

Mat- "yes I am sitting here with it on, I really hope you can help" really no where near the computer

Scam - "can you please click on this file & open it for me?"

Mat - "yep I think I have found it, I am not really good with computers" again not true

Scam - "that's no problem sir I will assist you if required, can you tell me what the file says?"

Mat - "sure, it says F@ck off Indian scammers"

Scam - "excuse me sir?"

Mat - "it says F@ck off Indian scammers"

Scam - "the same to you, you rude Australian"

& hung up. We laughed for hours. We then devised rules for a game between us to see who could get them the best, but they never called back.

[scottnvic]

They called a couple of nights ago and my six year old answered.  This was what we heard:

Hello
Which computer?
My little one, my middle one or Mum's big one?
I know (looking at us DERRRR)
Which computer?
My little one, my middle one or Mum's big one?
Hello?
Hello?
Mum, they hung up!!

[theins]

should we start a competition? Who can keep them on the line the longest?

If we waste their time we might just save someone falling for it....

[speewa158]

l had 1 of our " Friends " on the phone & after stuffing him about with No l cant see that yet . l managed to not find anything he asked me about . Till l managed , after much coaxing & being led . Then an error message cane up on screen . EAT PORK CHOAK & DIE YOU { shell we say ) Non Anglo Australian  Child of Unmarried Parents & he Hung up .
                                              JOB   DONE                                     



5 Mins later the phone rings & its Sh1thead back again enquiring if l was being abusive to him ,,,,,, so l filled him in in clear a concise Australian local Slang . l do believe the message was delivered  & understand .

Hope he wasn't offended be what l suggested his Mother had  done to deserve a son like that 

[Nomad]

I have had 2 calls in 2 days. first one was in the car and I kept him going for 45 minutes until I go t bored. THe second one I just launched a mouthful of vile sh#t at and got hung up on. It appears OZ is back on the target list.

[gec]

I usually get a lot of these calls, but lately we have started picking up the phone and saying nothing, If its a legitimate caller you get a confused "Hello" then you can talk, as for the scammers, after 5 seconds or so with no response they hang up, after a couple of weeks of this we don't get many calls from them at all. We used to get a lot, 4 or 5 calls a day for months, it was driving me nuts, I had already tried quite a few of the tricks that are mentioned here and others, it seems if I was abusive they rang more, all hours of the day and night, but the silent treatment seems to work, no calls for quite a while now. 

[speewa158]

Yesterday l had a call from some bonehead trying to sell me Funereal Insurance . l Demanded he tell me the test results . The doctor wants to see me later but you are calling me now ,,What Are The Results  . They must be Really Bad .



bonehead was gone & hasn't rung back                           

[RallyDog]

We still get the odd call I just tell them I can't speak English and they normally hang up or go on about the cricket.

[theins]

I have had 2 calls in 2 days. first one was in the car and I kept him going for 45 minutes until I go t bored. THe second one I just launched a mouthful of vile sh#t at and got hung up on. It appears OZ is back on the target list.

45min - get effort !