"New scam - watch for it" Topic

Got a call from some outfit calling itself IT Solutions
USA, Inc.

Caller said I'd been ID'd as a Windows 7 user, and I
needed to make sure my 'puter was protected against
'Six known problems with the software. For $199 USD, we'll
inspect and cleanse your system and install new s'ware
to protect it.'

I was not about to engage, since he said I just needed
to allow his technicians access via net so they could
install the s'ware, then they'd provide a link so I
could pay the $$$.

I terminated the call and posted about it locally. One
of the folks who read it said he'd received a call
from the same outfit, investigated them, and discovered
it was a bogus company. He ID'd the caller as a
Pakistani, from the accent.

Deal is, they load the s'ware, your 'puter is TRASHED,
and if you don't pay 'em (blackmail), you'll need to
either replace it or pay big bucks to have it cleansed.

No problems with 7 of which I'm aware and been using it
since release.

Its an old scam that's been doing the rounds for years.

My tactic for dealing with it is to act computer ignorant, and ask them what to do at each stage

They ask me to go to the window with a mouse, I say why, I don't have a mouse, will a dog do…

They ask me what kind of computer it is I say Commodore pet 4032, 6502 processor… 32k of throbbing power, and a 170k disk drive…

I keep them on the line for a good ten minutes,

I think it's better they try and fail to scam me, rather than get a mug who falls for it.

No land line! I miss all the good scams…

I just had someone try to pull that scam on me this evening. I could imagine their jaw dropping when I told them I didn't have a windows computer, and hung up on them. :)

Cheers.
GeorgeD.

Ah, they're back! They tried this on me a couple years ago. No Windows computers in our house (I run Linux and my wife Mac) so it was laughable. I kept them talking as long as I could stand it. I found some info on them online – same outfit pulls the same scam, eventually complaints gets their accounts shut down, but nothing else happens, so they just pop back up under another name. They were woking the UK before – I guess they ran out of suckers here and have moved on to new pickings in the US.

They are still 'working' the UK. We get a phonecall at least once a week for a windows virus. Oh and now once a week we get PPI calls from a similar lot.

My stock reply on hearing a 'foriegn voice' with a call center in the background.

"This is the Federal Bureau of Investigation and your call is being recorded"

<CLICK>

"Hello"?

Helio (Windows free since 2010)