Beware Fake Tech Support Scammers - Comments Page 2

I have gotten so many of these calls from Home Phone to My Business Phone, As a Business Owner who uses the phone and computer every single day I am real weary of all calls now , But the Best is when I try and sell them something , then all of a sudden they either hang up or say they have another call on hold and will, get back to me, Most are Asian voices that I get and their English is not as good as people here in the USA, then I will ask them for a supervisor and say they are the supervisor , I then say that Sups don't have to do cold calls like this and hang up.
I do have tom answer most all calls, I cover all States in my Business and really can't block all numbers that come up, I guess I just have to get used to answering stupid calls.
LB

When I get these calls (all too often) I mess with their heads in a variety of ways:
1) ask them to hold on and put the phone down and leave it. . .
2) Tell them I have no computers.

4) "follow" their instructions to turn on my PC and then exclaim "IT WON'T BOOT -- WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY COMPUTER??? HOW WILL YOU FIX IT, NOW?'

Basic idea is to waste their time, patience,etc until THEY hang up on me. . . ;)

I Love some of the similar ideas expressed here!! gotta try 'em

If I have time, I always "play" with the caller. I usually say "but I don't have a computer," and then laugh as he fumbles through his scripted speech looking for something to say. You can't trust the phone's displayed Caller ID number any more, since there is software that allows the caller to send any phone number he chooses.

I have a referees whistle hanging next to the phone...If by chance I accidentally pick up the phone...you can figure out the rest.
NOTE: over the years I have noticed, if you get a call from Jamaica(897-xxx-xxxx or 'Anonymous')it is just a day before I start to get constant calls from india. Best thing is just not to answer, after a week they are gone for a month or two!

Sorry the jamaican pre-fix is 8-7-6

Since I'm retired, I play along just to waste their time so they can't bother anyone else.
When they ask me to press the Winkey + R, I tell them 'nothing happened'. A few interactions later (or as long as I want to play), I tell them I run Linux when connected to the internet because Windows is too insecure.
Then I ask if they want me to fire up my Windows machine. They usually do. Then ask which one. Then we argue about connecting it to the network.
They always hang up, usually after about 20 minutes.
I give myself extra credit if I hear curse words.

Roger Anderson is actually trying to do something about this. He flooded these call centers with 'bots and took several off-line for a while earlier this week. It's just a drop in the bucket, but at least it gives us some hope. His TEDx talk referenced on his website gives insight into his motivation: http://www.jollyrogertelco.com/

We have gotten several! Usually I just hang-up, but the last time I said, "This is a scam, thank you!" The caller on the other end promptly answered: "Who told you this was a scam?" I just laughed and hung up. I'm thinking he is still scratching his head.

I've had two of these calls - both I twigged as scams from the start. The first I played for a while (I was bored)before telling him to get lost (or similar words, less polite).
The second I got rid of by telling him that I was actually in a branch office of the FBI and would he please hold on while I traced the call. He hung up immediately - I hope he lost sleep over it!!

I notice that you have ads touting
Windows Clean Up (2 Mins)
Fast & Easy - Make PC Run Like New. Takes Just 2 Minutes! (Recommended) Go to clean-up-pc.defender-pro.com
"Fix Windows Update"
Fast & Easy Windows Update Fix. Takes Just 2 Minutes (Recommended) Go to remooptimizer.com/Windows-Update
Email Help & Support - Call Us Now
@ (8OO).(5.8.2).(2.8.2.6.). Get Instant Solutions. for all Email Problems. Go to webinfosol.com

Are these just ads you agreed to or are these recommendations from you?

I've gotten calls from India when living in Europe. I think I got my first call three or four years ago. I feel sorry for them as there isn't the opportunity in India that there is in the First World; but not sorry enough to give over control of my computer.

I really like how people lead them on by asking questions but when they call me I'm usually busy so when they tell me my computer has been compromised I thank them and tell them I'll run a scan right away and then hang up.

I used to get several calls a year, then I went to our local big box store and bought a package of two plastic whistles like ball game referees use. (they were only $4.00). I respond to the caller by saying 'oh really', and then blow the whistle into the phone as long and hard as I can.

It is probably not the most courteous way to handle this, but I think they are a waste of skin so I don't care if I have damaged their hearing.

Wort noting that the have two favourite tricks - one is to get you to display the error log (always crammed full of errors that have no real meaning) and secondly give you the instructions that "reveal" a 28 character code that they give you (to confirm they know it's your computer). The code is actually (as far as I know) something that's the same on every PC. Sorry I've forgotten the commands they tell you to use.

I usually re-boot into linux and then their instruction never seem to work (and I've actually kept one on for 45 minutes - my wife, in between laughing, timed it). In the end I revealed I was using linux - he then tried to tell me linux was a very expensive operating system (!) and I should always use windows (!!).

I got one of those calls before we had the internet at our house. The caller said, "We detected through the internet that there is a problem with your computer". When I asked him how that was possible, since I didn't have the internet, he immediately hung up.

I have received many calls, some even from my own number. I called Bell about it and was told they spoof numbers .... got caught once maybe ten to fifteen years ago and they used the error log ..... they wanted over a hundred dollars to "fix" my machine so told them I had no money yet they kept calling.... a couple tricks to use is "let me get my dad" and just leave the phone or say "start the trace now"

I get these scammer phone calls frequently.

I tell whoever is calling that I don't own a computer and someone made a mistake putting my name on the list.

It shuts the scammer up immediately and they have nothing to say.

It doesn't seem to get me off their lists but it shuts down the conversation and it lasts less than 30 seconds.

Dear Bob,
Thanks much for the warning. I get these kinds of calls on a regular basis. The first call, which came several years ago, almost tricked me. But, before I did anything with the guy, I Googled in the name of the program he gave me, and SPAM was the first thing that came up. I hung up on him.
Then, I checked with the resident geek at my church, and he accurately informed me, "Microsoft doesn't care if you have a virus."
Still, these calls can be unnerving to an older person who is not very savvy with computers. So, thanks for reinforcing my chosen method of dealing with these guys. Hang up the phone.

I didn't get a phone call. When I opened a new window on my iMac, a warning message popped up on my screen, saying it was from tech support and to call the 800 number posted.

So...BEWARE...the scam may come from INSIDE your computer!

Louis St. Germain: BobR has very little control of what ads appear on his site (it's an advertising agency that represents anyone who pays them) and does not 'recommend' any of those products. You have to read the text of his articles to determine his actual recommendations.

As to the tech support scam callers, I never get them. I subscribe to NoMoRoBo - which BobR does recommend. All the scammers use robot dialers and NoMoRoBo stops them cold. see also http://askbobrankin.com/howto_stop_annoying_robocalls.html