I just got a call from the "Computer Support Department"

[jberryhill]

...which sounded like it was located in a foreign call center.

Usually I pretend to be playing along and acting really, really dumb by misinterpreting every one of their instructions.... "Wait, you want me to turn the internet off? I don't know how to do that!"

Eventually they get fed up, or I get tired of acting, and we do not part amicably.

Today it was:

"Que? No hablo Ingles. Espanol por favor."

For a moment there, when I got that the guy understood what I was asking, and was going to either take a stab at it or switch me to someone else.

But, alas, he was not up to my blowing smoke up his ass in Spanish either, but he very politely apologized for not speaking Spanish.

It's good to know the scammers have upped their customer service standards.

[onehandle]

1. I've had those scammers call me.

- click -

Anyway I have a Mac. I don't need 'Computer Support.'

[jberryhill]

3. Yes, but they are fun as temporary pets

You can take them along on any scenario....

"Wait, by 'go to that site', you mean like their Facebook page? I can't find them on Facebook?"

"What do you mean 'browser'? You mean, like, the Google thing?"

The thing is, they want you dumb. The dumber the better. And if you are really nice to them, and really, really, dumber-than-dogshit dumb, you can be the most inept computer user ever. But if you keep them on the hook, they will try and try to explain to you how to download the malware they want you to download, and you just keep missing it by... this much.

It's better than shaking a piece of string at a cat!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. You might enjoy this. Epic scam baiting:

http://www.419eater.com

[jberryhill]

10. ;-)

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. The "Busted" scam-bait is hi-fucking-larious.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

13. How do you get a scammer to produce the Dead Parrot Skech.

http://vimeo.com/1449435?pg=embed&sec=1449435

[jberryhill]

19. Cultivation

Selling them a different scam. You are a talent agent for a television production company. Back it up with fake documents and websites. Comply poorly with their scam while selling your own scam, so they are always just one more email away from a payday.

The more interesting baits are rhe ones in which two of them are convinved that you sent the money to the other one. Like most Internet users, they tend to use the same password for multiple accounts, so if they are phished with a fake bank or delivery company website, the possibilities are limitless, if you aren't bothered by the idea of two criminals somewhere getting angry at each other.

It's not as if they keep track of whom they've spammed, so many of these begin as an "accidentally sent email" to lure them in.

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. My caller, with an Indian accent, told me his name was...Ralph!

I do not understand what they are after.

Is it malware they want to unload?

[jberryhill]

18. What they are after....

They want you to go to a site to download a piece of software which will take control of your machine and lock you out.

Then, they want you to send them money in order to have your machine unlocked once they have locked it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ransomware

[joshcryer]

16. Not sure if you can record it, but that'd be awesome to hear.

[dflprincess]

20. Last time I strung them along for awhile then asked what kind of scam they were running

the guy took great offense that I would accuse him of being a scammer and told me he was no longer interested in "helping" me with my computer problems.

The time before that I told them they had made a serious error in that they had reached the office of the state Attorney General. --- They probably don't know that a state attorney general is and it was just they word "attorney" that made the line go dead in record time.

[Fumesucker]

2. Best laugh today so far

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. I got a couple of those calls recently, and reported here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018690052

[darkangel218]

5. I hate telemarketers. nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. These aren't just telemarketers; they're scammers.

They try to get you to give them access to your computer over the internet, then they install malware that you have to pay them to remove.

[darkangel218]

7. I know.

TBH, I had the same experience calling Microsoft because I didn't remember my key password, and I needed to have excell installed on my new laptop.
They took over my puter, and I allowed them reluctantly. They had my phone number, email address, etc

To this day I think it was fishy.

They shouldn't have needed to get into my system only to help me with the key.

[Kalidurga]

9. The last time I got a call like that I acted very very stupid

Then I asked for their web address, their physical address, their phone number, their corporate office number, then I went back to playing stupid. Then I said I am sorry I is a redneck and I don't understand your accent. Then she gave the phone to someone else. I repeated all the steps including asking for their phone number etc... The guy was losing it too so I called them lying thieving criminals and that I was going to call the FBI.

Oh yeah this was in regards to their FBI virus. They put it on my SO's computer. I guess it's lucky for him he had two other laptops.

[L0oniX]

11. "Sorry ...we're being robbed right now ...please call later on" - my answer

[SickOfTheOnePct]

14. Do they claim to be from Microsoft?

I get those every couple of weeks.

[RebelOne]

22. So do I at least once or twice a month.

I just tell them I have a Mac which I do.

[MurrayDelph]

17. I mentioned my typical response in the last thread on this topic

(listed elsewhere in the thread).

I usually try to guilt them.

I've been waiting for them to call so I can try my next response:

You're calling for Computer Support? OK, my rates are $95/hour. May I have your credit card number please.

(for the record, I am a retired VMS/Unix/Linix SysAdmin).

[KinMd]

21. Anyone else get the "call" from the IRS scam..

I wasn't home, they left a voicemail. I would have had fun with that guy.