Scam
#16
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Re: Scam
I have just had a telephone call that was allegedly from Microsoft. I answered in Spanish, she was thrown for a second then she spoke in English (really difficult to understand her due to her heavy Indian accent). She said that she was from Microsoft and that she was concerned about my computer, I asked why and she said something totally unintelligible so I closed the call. My phone rang again but I did not answer. My assumption is that this is yet another scam so thought that I would mention it on here to inform people.
Rosemary
Rosemary
#17
Re: Scam
Hi Rosemary, I'm staggered as it appears you have only just had one of these calls are not read about them! We've been getting them for about the last two years. Sometimes they say they are calling from Windows, not Microsoft. The fact that as far as I know there is no company called Windows is a bit of a giveaway also.
#19
Banned
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 141
Re: Scam
I used to ask them what my IP address was. If they can see I had problems then they must have my IP address in order to see my PC . CLICK! Did once, when a bit bored, egg them on. Asked for their email address to send them a password to get into my computer remotely,(not allowed to give it out!!) could not find the windows error log they referred to,how could a virus get past my antivirus program etc. After about 40 minutes asked if the fact that I had a Mac made a difference. CLICK! But I had enjoyed myself at their expense!My friend, who is a microsoft certified engineeer once kept one of them going for over an hour.
#20
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Scam
Hoho. My ip telephony provider has a virtual extn no to transfer telemarketing calls to, it says something like 'thank you for contacting us, you are in a q and we will talk to you as soon as we can [10 sec delay] [this is point 1]. unfortunately we are so busy answering telemarketers that thiss queue is at least ZZZzzz minutes long, in the meantime here is some nice music [horrible music fir 5 mins - loop to 1...]
#21
Re: Scam
You would have all laughed at me a moment ago because the phone rang, I did not look to see the number but presumed that it was them again so answered in a very stern annoyed voice. Unfortunately it was not the pests but one of the lovely Spanish ladies who ring me every week, talk about egg on face. Even though I immediately changed to my normal friendly voice she was reluctant to speak.
Rosemary
Rosemary
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Re: Scam
As I comment re' Rosemary's post we have had these quite frequently over the years, however over the last few days we have had between 15 - 20 of these calls each day. Thinking of cancelling my land line with Telitec as this is getting ridiculous. A few years back I was at my son's house in the UK and asked him why they never answered their home phone. He said because of all the marketing calls they just let all calls go to their answering machine and then decide phone back later if the call is valid.
Other than cancelling my line I can only think some form of screening method is necessary.
Anyone any ideas as it's getting out of hand. Calls start early in the morning.
Thanks.
Other than cancelling my line I can only think some form of screening method is necessary.
Anyone any ideas as it's getting out of hand. Calls start early in the morning.
Thanks.
#23
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Scam
We drooped landlines years ago, just stick to mobiles. You can avoid some in the uk by using the govt tps service, but it doesnt stop the calls from abroad.
You can have fun however - remember they use what is effectively a script. There is something called the anti telemarketing script you can use t ototally baffle them.
Short of screening all calls, you cant stop it, only make it more expensive [mobile] or time wasting for them.
One other thing - i worked for a huge company run by a mouse once... I was someone who bought a lot of stuff. To prevent harassment by sales people, our phones had 2 numbers, the external one forwarded to a minion in hr whose job was to shield us - our names were considered secrets, never given to anyone external. Imgine the conversation - i want to speak to the head of IT, sorry he wont talk to you, whats his name, sorry we cant give that out, well how can i sell him things, you cant he'll call you if he wants to... In another co, we had premium rate nos, it was fine for a salesman to call me anytime, it cost him 3 quid a minute...
You can have fun however - remember they use what is effectively a script. There is something called the anti telemarketing script you can use t ototally baffle them.
Short of screening all calls, you cant stop it, only make it more expensive [mobile] or time wasting for them.
One other thing - i worked for a huge company run by a mouse once... I was someone who bought a lot of stuff. To prevent harassment by sales people, our phones had 2 numbers, the external one forwarded to a minion in hr whose job was to shield us - our names were considered secrets, never given to anyone external. Imgine the conversation - i want to speak to the head of IT, sorry he wont talk to you, whats his name, sorry we cant give that out, well how can i sell him things, you cant he'll call you if he wants to... In another co, we had premium rate nos, it was fine for a salesman to call me anytime, it cost him 3 quid a minute...
#24
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Scam
At the mouse, we had suppliers so frustrated, that one computer manufacturer signed a 12 month deal to sell us desktops laptops etc at an audited -1% profit [ie 1% loss, audited by our rottweiler auditors] globally, just so their sales peole could have contact with the national managers and hopefully build up a relationship :-)
#25
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 982
Re: Scam
Thanks for that, thinking of just confining to mobiles only as both my son & daughter in the UK do. At first we used to wind the callers up a bit. A couple of days ago, the phone went as we were on our way out. I went along with them and asked them could they wait whilst I turned on my PC. They said yes, so I just put the phone on our table and went out leaving them on the line.
Seriously though, when you have family in the UK you are reluctant not to answer the phone in case there's a problem, but the humour, if it ever was so, has now worn very thin.
If I do cancel the land line though, we must get into the habit of always having a mobile nearby and charged, something we don't do now, probably because of the land line!
Seriously though, when you have family in the UK you are reluctant not to answer the phone in case there's a problem, but the humour, if it ever was so, has now worn very thin.
If I do cancel the land line though, we must get into the habit of always having a mobile nearby and charged, something we don't do now, probably because of the land line!
#26
I still dont believe it..
Joined: Oct 2013
Location: 12 degrees north
Posts: 2,777
Re: Scam
With mobiles, the use of ip telephony in facebook messenger, whatsapp [not very good imho] and apple facetime make call costs almost zero, you can save quite a bit. I use giffgaff when in the uk, personally 7.50 a month, you can just turn on and off prepaid arrangements at will, and of course next month those calls texts and data are same price in the entire eu.
#27
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Boston / Guipúzcoa
Posts: 718
Re: Scam
I'm assuming these scammers all speak English? Funny how they are calling phone numbers in Spain. I wonder how often someone answers who even speaks English.
- Eric S.
- Eric S.
#28
Re: Scam
Rosemary