not2old

Anyone else on this?

At least one per month from some person with an Indian accent saying he is from 'Tech Support' telling me my computer has a virus.

From day one I figured it was a scam

When the call comes in I generally 'hang up' the phone call

Today at 7:30 am EST another call, same one liner...'your computer has a virus & we can fix it'

This time I responded with a 'I don't have a computer', his come back was 'what do you mean you don't have a computer'?

My response was, I don't have a computer' - he hung up the call

Jerseygirl

If I have time I like to lead them on pretending to do what they ask...but acting thick along the way.

sharkus

Had one ages ago, said they could see on my screen that windows explorer was showing I had a problem. Asked them exactly how that was possible when I was using MacOS.

I seem to recall the company name was something very similar to Symantec (the AV firm), which someone may have heard of, and thus think it was legit.

Howefamily

I like to tell them how pleased I am that they have called and "to hang on while I get my computer". I then set the phone on the couch and make a coffee, watch TV, pick it uo to say things like "nearly ready" and leave them there until they realise its time to hang up. If possible I waste as much of their time as I can... that way they have not had a chance to get to some other poor unsuspecting person........

Shard

Good one.

Souvy

I used to get them almost daily. They seemed to stop when I told the last guy to f*** off.

caretaker

I used to get those, but a few years ago I lost my temper and really told a lady off. After she informed me of the virus they'd detected on my computer I told her that there was no ethernet coming into the house, and she was going to go to hell. She was shocked, hell? Yes, I told her she was a liar and a charlatan and was trying to cheat innocent people out of their savings and would burn in hell fire for all eternity for her sin. I must have got a Christian , she was pretty much convinced it was coming right away, mumbled an apology and hung up. I've only had one call since, a man about a year later. For some reason I don't think they like me.

SchnookoLoly

My parents get these occasionally, and they also like to waste their time. They act really thick and purposely misspell things when repeating them back (not actually entering anything, just faking it)... The more time that can be wasted, the better.

DaveLovesDee

I love these calls.

First thing they ask these days is what key is beside the Windows or Ctrl keys. I still play along as I remember what a Windows keyboard will have there (Chromebooks obviously don't have Windows keys)

About 14 years ago when I was using a Windows desktop as my main PC, I even had one trying to get me to enable Remote Access for them to fix the problem.

Yorkiechef

I had a problem with my computer recognizing my canon 3-1 printer, it couldn't find the scanner element. I googled for the driver to install and found one and it did the biz......later that evening I had a "hello, hello, you have downloaded malware to your computer today and we would like to fix it", in the background to the call, I could hear several, perhaps dozens of similar calls going on with other prospective victims, all shouting down the phone "hello, hello, are you on your computer at the moment", I was quite shaken by it all to be honest, was it a coincidence I had downloaded from the net that day, something I very seldom do...or a connection to some con men that were scamming that day, I'm still not sure.

I ended putting the phone down on them obviously, went to my computer and shut it down, rebooted it and I have had no problems, but with my bank accounts being connected, I was concerned.

Scammers, shit 'em!

caretaker

Probably that driver, I bought a bottle of booze at the liquor store using my credit card, went home and an hour later when I checked my twitter feed there was an ad for that same bottle. My friend is building a frankentosh computer to talk to the phone scammers, giving them a bit of a target.

Aviator

Had one, managed to keep the guy going for 20 minutes, getting him to troubleshoot so he could 'access the computer'. Eventually I got bored, told him I was not very tecky and asked if I 'plug the power cord in' would it work better?

He got mad because I 'wasted his time!' It worked a treat.
Not had them call again.

BEVS

We were getting those thick and fast for a bit. The very last one a blew a whistle down the phone. It's been all quiet for a while now.

Siouxie

Had one today, English sounding bloke called Mark. Kept him on hold for about 5-6 minutes while I 'sorted out my modem' and could hear him asking what was going on.. repeated "I'm just sorting out my modem so I can go online".. another 5 minutes or so passed, I could hear him getting twitchy. In the end I said "MAAARK!!! I've fixed it!! Hey.. are you calling about a virus I've got on my computer?" He said "What????" so I repeated "Are you calling about a virus I've got on my computer??"

"Yes!" he said.

"Then f.......... off" said I.

Woops

HGerchikov

On the flip side of this a few months ago my parents were watching tv at 9:15 on a Saturday evening when the phone rang. Mum answered and this Indian sounding voice started talking. She doesn't hear that well, the TV was on and he had a strong accent so she couldn't understand what he was saying. So she told him she didn't want what he was selling and hung up. A minute later he rings back, slightly less politely she tells him she isn't interested and hangs up again. 5 minutes later the call comes in again, so she picks up the phone and takes it into another room, prepared to give this guy a serious telling off. This time a different voice starts the conversation with 'don't hang up, this is the hospital and we were just reviewing your husbands test results from a month ago and you need to get him here now.' Apparently his resting heart rate was 27 beats per minute and they didn't notice at the time he had the tests done. He had a pace maker fitted within 48 hours.