Windows Service Centre call
in [UK Mac]
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From: smurf on 29 Jun 2010 18:13 Pd wrote: > I've just had a phone call from "Mike" (in Bangalore from the sound of > his accent and rubbish line quality) of the "Windows Service Centre", > saying that their system has detected that my computer has downloaded > some malware. Now, free of charge, he would help me diagnose and > remove this malware. > > I've seen this kind of social engineering on websites, but never > thought they'd have the sheer cheek to try it live on a phone call. I > led him on for a while as he tried to get me to do a search using the > Windows key on my keyboard, until eventually I told him I was using a > Mac. He hung up. very very very common, i know of dozens of people who have had this scam.
From: Michael H. Phillips on 30 Jun 2010 04:11 On Jun 29, 2010 Pd wrote: > I've just had a phone call from "Mike" (in Bangalore from the sound of > his accent and rubbish line quality) of the "Windows Service Centre", > saying that their system has detected that my computer has downloaded > some malware. Now, free of charge, he would help me diagnose and remove > this malware. > > I've seen this kind of social engineering on websites, but never thought > they'd have the sheer cheek to try it live on a phone call. I led him on > for a while as he tried to get me to do a search using the Windows key > on my keyboard, until eventually I told him I was using a Mac. He hung > up. > > I've had the same thing and when I said I was using a Mac the result was exactly the same. -- Michael mhphillips at gmail dot com
From: Dr Geoff Hone on 1 Jul 2010 04:23 On Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:16:59 +0100, peterd.news(a)gmail.invalid (Pd) wrote: >I've just had a phone call from "Mike" (in Bangalore from the sound of >his accent and rubbish line quality) of the "Windows Service Centre", >saying that their system has detected that my computer has downloaded >some malware. Now, free of charge, he would help me diagnose and remove >this malware. > >I've seen this kind of social engineering on websites, but never thought >they'd have the sheer cheek to try it live on a phone call. I led him on >for a while as he tried to get me to do a search using the Windows key >on my keyboard, until eventually I told him I was using a Mac. He hung >up. > >-- >Pd Have not had that one - yet. Do get a lot ofcalls from "Indian Call Centres" (using pd's criteria) and have two alternative responses: A - Place the hand-set gently down on a convenient surface and walk away. The rationale is that some of these scammers have paid for a fixed amount of bandwidth, and I am quite happy to help them use it. B - Say nothing - pick up a good old-fashioned railway guard's whistle and blow loudly close to the mike - replace the phone. The choice between A and B depends on which phone I have picked up (only one has a whistle within reach), and the weather. Geoff
From: Jim on 1 Jul 2010 04:30
On 2010-07-01, Dr Geoff Hone <gnhone(a)globalnet.co.uk> wrote: > Have not had that one - yet. > Do get a lot ofcalls from "Indian Call Centres" (using pd's criteria) > and have two alternative responses: > A - Place the hand-set gently down on a convenient surface and walk > away. The rationale is that some of these scammers have paid for a > fixed amount of bandwidth, and I am quite happy to help them use it. > B - Say nothing - pick up a good old-fashioned railway guard's whistle > and blow loudly close to the mike - replace the phone. > The choice between A and B depends on which phone I have picked up > (only one has a whistle within reach), and the weather. > Geoff Remember those fake "Mr Angry" phone lines you could dial? I wonder if there's a "well meaning but very confused" one that could be recorded and played back to these people. Should keep them entertained for -hours-. Jim -- Twitter:@GreyAreaUK "If you have enough book space, I don't want to talk to you." Terry Pratchett |