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Gotta love the fake IT calls

andruoid

Android Expert
Jan 10, 2011
1,428
1,313
BC, Canada
Scam/Spam IT "Support" Calls
Anyone else here getting fake IT emergency calls? Someone calls you saying "Hi I'm so-in-so from the IT helpdesk/tech support and we have been monitoring your computer, you have a problem with a virus" or "your system has been compromised." "Here is how we can help".

...really? I say; what do i have to do?

Caller says: is your computer on?
No I say.
[first error on his part, how can he be monitoring my computer if the thing is off ]

Caller says: turn on the computer and login.
I say, OK done.
Caller says: click on the Start button. I say, Start button? There is no Start button, you are right! Something is wrong! What do I do?

Caller says: are you sure there is no Start button?
Yes I assured him.

I told him there is a Foot print mark in it's place. Caller says Foot print? I say yeah, ever heard of Gnome in Linux? I'd play along a bit more pal but I'm hungry and want to finish off my sandwich, bye.

...We have 2 phone lines in the house and this is the 4th call in a few months. I have call block but they are probably a different group each time. Like i said, if I wasn't hungry I would have wasted a bit more of his time.
 
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Reactions: Luke Kellett
Oddly, my mother got one of these calls whilst I was there, I didn't handle it quite as well as you though,the bloke got a load of expletives shouted at him (by me,damn my foul mouth)

I've got her using Linux though, mainly because she's using my old Toshiba laptop from years gone by, but she gets so many spam callers she's kind of adept a recognising the fake callers from the real ones.

It's still not nice though, for them to target people who are not so sure of computers and new technology, it's obvious to see why some are still scared to embrace it all.

It wouldn't surprise me if they where going to get you to open the browser and download a virus or something.
 
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