Weird phone call! "online pc doctor" - Only thread on these scam calls please

jarvis

Just got a phone call on my home phone from an Indian sounding guy climimng to be from "Online pc Doctor":eek:

He said he's ringing all windows xp and vista customers with regards to a system crash and told me to turn on my pc while he checks it for me!!!

I told him I'm on windows 7 and he said its all windows systems and they are certified to carry out this work by Microsoft!!!!

There was a delay on the phoneline so I presume he was calling from abroad.
He seemed genuinely shocked when I told him I'm not interested in him helping me and I wouldn't turn my pc on.

How weird is that whole phone call?
Anyone else get one or hear about one of these calls before?

I also got a cold call from Eircom 15 minutes before hand, I must be on some poxy list.

Dermot Illogical

They offer to "fix" your PC, get you to grant them remote access to it, and charge €90 for the privilege. And another €200 or so if you sign up to their "long-term" deal.
To be avoided at all costs. Handing over credit card details and full control of your PC to a cold caller isn't the brightest thing to do, but obviously there are enough people out there to make it worthwhile for these guys.

Yawns

your not the first nor the will be the last unfortunatly. So many people fall for this. They will remote access your pc and then retrieve passwords etc via a keylogger and such.

Also cc details over phone. Just tell them to send you a bank draft and you'll return the money via western union while your at it

Abelloid

RT66 wrote: »

They offer to "fix" your PC, get you to grant them remote access to it, and charge €90 for the privilege. And another €200 or so if you sign up to their "long-term" deal.
To be avoided at all costs. Handing over credit card details and full control of your PC to a cold caller isn't the brightest thing to do, but obviously there are enough people out there to make it worthwhile for these guys.

They offer to fix something that isn't broken?

Dermot Illogical

JustinOval wrote: »

They offer to fix something that isn't broken?

Yes. The last one I heard about they pitched virus statistics, patching and defragging until the victim was worried enough to get the credit card out.
You know, scaring people into buying something. No reputable major telecommunications company would ever use tactics like that in radio ads, but these individuals have no scruples

jarvis

RT66 wrote: »

Yes. The last one I heard about they pitched virus statistics, patching and defragging until the victim was worried enough to get the credit card out.
You know, scaring people into buying something. No reputable major telecommunications company would ever use tactics like that in radio ads, but these individuals have no scruples

Do you mean I could have a virus????? Should I call them back;)

Komplett: Marc

RT66 wrote: »

Yes. The last one I heard about they pitched virus statistics, patching and defragging until the victim was worried enough to get the credit card out.
You know, scaring people into buying something. No reputable major telecommunications company would ever use tactics like that in radio ads, but these individuals have no scruples

The sad part is that it really does work on some people I've heard from people talking about the lad who "helped them with their Windows" on the phone...

homehelptech

I work in consumer IT support and just had a call from a customer saying Online PC Doctor cold called him last week, telling him he had a virus when there was no way they could possibly know. These guys seem to be operating worldwide. Website looks professional and uses local phone numbers.
There are details of the same scam operating in Australia http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1362347.html

Buyer beware I guess, but it brings the rest of us IT support people into disrepute ...

Qs

jarvis wrote: »

Do you mean I could have a virus????? Should I call them back;)

I just had a call from them, the guy said its not a virus its an infection like malwares or trojans and thats why anti-virus software wont find it

jarvis

Qs wrote: »

I just had a call from them, the guy said its not a virus its an infection like malwares or trojans and thats why anti-virus software wont find it

Whatever quote they give you, I'll clean it up for half their price.
Wonder if I'll get much business undercutting them!!! Hmmmm....

spider guardian

scary stuff! they must be making some money if they can pay for all the long-distance calls. come back clippy all is forgiven!

Dreddybajs

Just got this call now, so they're still going at it with Dublin phone numbers.

K.O.Kiki

Everyone who's ever had real IT support knows these guys are a scam.

Here, I'll give you some REAL IT support:

• Have you checked if it's plugged in?
• Are you SUUUUUUUURE??

:pac:

pickarooney

spider guardian wrote: »

scary stuff! they must be making some money if they can pay for all the long-distance calls. come back clippy all is forgiven!

I don't know about you but I can ring any landline in the world for free with my broadband package.

Has anyone who doesn't have a computer been called by these cowboys?

Gone Drinking

» — Merv

If you ask me to define your service in one word, I would simply say WOW. Thanks Doctors you made my day. The worms in my computer were destroying my files…but you destroyed them. Keep up the good work”

»– George

I have no idea what I would do without Online PC Doctors. You have returned my investment 10 times over. You are phenomenal.

» - Simon

I feel Online PC Doctors is the best place to get computer help with both simple and complex issues. I appreciate the prompt service to resolve my computer problems.

» - Adam

Brad is extremely good at his profession and we appreciate him. Glad we found you. Thanks a bunch!

» - Sean & Stephanie

Your people worked effeciently and promptly to rectify the function of my computer, Romi and Carol were clear and very helpful, answering all my questions and took the time to explain to me the items which i did not immediatly understand. Very professional,polite and a credit to your organisation.

Thanks, Regards, Kirk Trease

But just read some of those testimonials!

Cuddlesworth

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

Everyone who's ever had real IT support knows these guys are a scam.

Here, I'll give you some REAL IT support:

• Have you checked if it's plugged in?
• Are you SUUUUUUUURE??

:pac:

Meh

Open Google. Type in "Whatever the error code was", follow the steps in the first link.

Merch

Do people actually fall for this? how?

I better double check with the mother and the other half, make sure they never get caught out, think they might play on someones politeness.
Far as I'm concerned, I might hold them on the line for a while while I abuse them.
If I didn't give you my number then I don't want to know, same goes for the front door, didn't invite you to try and sell me stuff, if I need or want it, I will go looking for it.

Dublenguy

I got a call from them last week. They knew my name and told me I may have issues with my PC. Usually I would just say no thanks but started quizzing the girl as she had my name, she had an indian accent and it was PC doctors.

She did not like being questioned and when I asked her a second time if she was trying to sell me something she hung up.

I've put a direct marketing block on my phone now but don't know if it will stop these guys. It's people who are not that PC savvy that will get caught by this scam.

Linoge

homehelptech wrote: »

I work in consumer IT support and just had a call from a customer saying Online PC Doctor cold called him last week, telling him he had a virus when there was no way they could possibly know. These guys seem to be operating worldwide. Website looks professional and uses local phone numbers.
There are details of the same scam operating in Australia http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1362347.html

Buyer beware I guess, but it brings the rest of us IT support people into disrepute ...

Hardly.... No more than Princes around the world are brought into disrepute.

thetonynator

A friend of mine ( and i mean a friend not me!!!) signed up to this, cost him 40 squids, as he said that some programs kept crashing on his computer. They've got his money, he let them have control of his computer, is it likely that they can take data from his PC or do you think they are just looking for the money?? is there any way he can remove them from his computer?? it only happened today, what are the chances of something going wrong?

BTW he's more or less completely computer illiterate . . .

Mycroft H

i wonder what would happen if i told them i used linux :rolleyes:

bonzodog2

You could have fun for a few minutes acting confused before you told them. "Start button, where's that. Nah can't see it mate. Is it like the Any Key ? " etc.

Dermot Illogical

thetonynator wrote: »

A friend of mine ( and i mean a friend not me!!!) signed up to this, cost him 40 squids, as he said that some programs kept crashing on his computer. They've got his money, he let them have control of his computer, is it likely that they can take data from his PC or do you think they are just looking for the money?? is there any way he can remove them from his computer?? it only happened today, what are the chances of something going wrong?

BTW he's more or less completely computer illiterate . . .

They now own everything he has on the computer. They can watch everything he does if they choose. They can take any files they choose. They can run any applications they like. Most likely use is in a botnet.
The computer needs to be fixed by someone who knows what they're doing.
I'm assuming they also have his credit card details? I'd be canceling that card..

Yawns

Cancel card, disconnect computer from internet. Unplug modem. Remove any applications they have installed and run scans.

Seeing as he doesn't know what to do, tell him to cancel credit card, unplug modem, bring to someone who knows what they are doing/ repair shop explain the phone call and stupidity of friend, they should know the situation by know and remove all traces. If he has no data of any value a format and re-install of OS would be the best but a longer method. Only to be used if he doesn't care about the data being lost.

If someone with comp know-how looks at it, they would be able to identify which apps are needed for the os and start from there removing all other files.

thetonynator

thanks for that i'll pass on the advice. I think his credit card details are safe as he paid through paypal, who don't give away details . . ., but yeah i'll pass on all that.

Thanks!

Noxin

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Meh

Open Google. Type in "Whatever the error code was", follow the steps in the first link.

Shusshhhhhhhh.... They'll stop paying us if they figure out that's what we do!!!

spider guardian

thetonynator wrote: »

A friend of mine ( and i mean a friend not me!!!) signed up to this, cost him 40 squids, as he said that some programs kept crashing on his computer. They've got his money, he let them have control of his computer, is it likely that they can take data from his PC or do you think they are just looking for the money?? is there any way he can remove them from his computer?? it only happened today, what are the chances of something going wrong?

BTW he's more or less completely computer illiterate . . .

I would seriously recommend that your friend performs a full reformat of his hard disk and reinstalls a clean copy of his operating system. It mightn't be enough to remove the applications and files, the guys that did this might have installed rootkits or hidden applications that cannot be deleted easily by the user or a malware scanner.

It is important that this be done, i'm sure your friend doesn't want to have all his passwords recorded by a keylogger and his computer used in a botnet attack. They could even use his computer to store illegal files.

At the very least his computer will perform poorly and his internet usage allowance will be used up.

You say your friend is computer illiterate, fair enough but it is important that he gets someone with IT knowledge to do this. It's not a big job for someone that knows what they are doing.

Yawns

thetonynator wrote: »

thanks for that i'll pass on the advice. I think his credit card details are safe as he paid through paypal, who don't give away details . . ., but yeah i'll pass on all that.

Thanks!

But if he doesn't get it sorted and logs into paypal, they have his account for paypal and can use it.

Reformat and tell him if he's not cancelling the cc to monitor it for any activity. He can sign up to online banking and check it once a day. Only sign up after cleaning his computer of course!

thetonynator

Passed all that on, thanks again for your help!!!

sarah_mol

Ive been getting calls from 001215, but when I pick up the line goes dead after a few seconds. Could it be the same crowd?

wicklowwonder

Any way of knowing if someone has hacked into your computer? Like are there any tell tale signs other than your bank account been empty? Never got a phone call but I am in China and am a bit weary using wireless etc to check accounts!! Dont really want to reload mo o/s system wondering is there someway of knowing?

Antamojo

Got 3 calls over 2 weeks from these shower of *****.
My mam answered the phone and said hold on I'll put you onto my son and they hung up each time.
I hope I get to answer one and go along with it, then tell them to **** off

mach1982

Never let any one log in to your PC, even if they say they Certified from Microsoft. Would you let an mechanic who call at you door out of the blue and fix your car?
Ask for phone/e-mail if they want you business they will he happy to give you their details .

I hope they ring me as i can do with a laugh.

JohnMearsheimer

My parents had these phone calls last Thursday. My mum who doesn't even know how to switch on a computer knew it had to be a scam and told them to get lost. They kept ringing back but when they heard her voice they kept hanging up the phone. Idiots :mad:

shotgun

My wife got a call from these guys (001217) this morning - very persistent but she suspected a scam and hung up - they called me back later this evening (001216)- very clever !!!

First line to me was " Is your PC running slow?" The guy admitted he was calling from India and it was a very good call line with some delay and you could hear the "call centre hubub" in the backround.

He said they had MCSE's and Cisco Certfied engineers available.
Offered a one time free online scan using Quickheal (an Indian AV product) and a "Warranty Service" - 1 yr 99 2yr 189 3 yr 289 euro.

Apart from the obvious dangers of letting anyone remote to your PC to install s/w on it AND giving out your CC details to a Indian call centre, the fact that they do the online scan means they can claim its a legit "service" - he also mentioned you will click on a disclaimer - Buyer Beware!!!

I told him my PC was running fine and he gave a Dublin number 01-442-9347 which and to ask for Henry Parker

the_syco

thetonynator wrote: »

thanks for that i'll pass on the advice. I think his credit card details are safe as he paid through paypal, who don't give away details . . ., but yeah i'll pass on all that.

Thanks!

Unless they did a proper job, got and left a small program that would email them any username/password info from sites such as paypal, his login to his bank account, etc.

shotgun wrote: »

I told him my PC was running fine and he gave a Dublin number 01-442-9347 which and to ask for Henry Parker

The number gave me http://www.onlinepcdoctors.com/form.php?parent_id=4&type=email in google

We have experienced team from DELL, HP and other leading computer giants. The team collectively has more than seven to eight years of experience in customer service and PC maintenance.

Their english is very bad

Claire L

I got a call from this crowd last monday. They even knew my name :eek: how scary is that! Surely they can be reported to someone???

DavidCollins

Exact problem happened to a relative of mine. The phone number ( 014429347 ) had me finding this thread.
Problem is, she doesn't know what they did while they had access to her computer. Guess I'm the family IT support again. (fortunately when they asked her for 39.99 she stopped doing what they asked her to do).

Pelotudo

My mother who has a basic grasp of computing got caught by them yesterday. She thought they were genuine. They told her they got her contact details from windows live messenger.Also said that her computer was running slow and thats why they were calling (her pc is 5 years old and has a Celeron processor so of course it's slow!!!!!).
I Intsalled Comodo and Avast a while back(they seem to work fine for me). They told her that Comodo was being attacked by viruses and she she should get rid of them.
They told her go to the pcdoctors website and click on the remote access tab.They then gave her a code to enter so they could get this code.It didn't work. They gave her a couple of more codes and they didn't work either. She happened to call me in the middle of all this and mentioned that a man had called from Windows. I thought that was a bit strange, googled and ended up here.
They had a tech on with her then and I called back just in time to stop her entering another remote access code. She asked him where he was and he said India.Then she hung up.

What I'm wondering is might they have got access with their "failed" codes?

Also, just to inform anyone that my mother is in Limerick so they've moved their calls outside Dublin.

DavidCollins

From what I can tell, the first get the user to enable the built in remote control features in Windows that allow a computer to be accessed and operated from somewhere else.

They then get them to go to their website and enter a code, this allows the to get the IP address of the computer so they can begin accessing it. (you should be able to see them move the mouse cursor on the screen when they do this and everything).

In Pelotudo, it sounds like there was a technical problem with their own system (irony) so couldn't log her IP.

I would say that if anyone had an experience like this, go to Control Panel, double click on System, and go to the Remote tab (or Remote Settings if not on XP), and you can take it from there. Just make sure Remote Desktop isn't enabled as I believe (not certain) that this is what they use to access your computer.

Simply Red

My girlfriend got a call from them last week, from the number 001210, again from indian sounding person. They started by asking about her browsing habits but she knew something was strange and made an excuse to hang up. A very clever scam which will catch a lot of people out, spread the word to anyone who you think could be caught out by them

bbrhuft

I just got a call form onlinePCdoctors about 20 minutes ago, I knew it was a scam form the start but stayed on the online as I was bored and needed a laugh.

The Indian guy, the same voice as in recordings on Youtube (so it must be a small operation), got me to open the Event Viewer using very basic instructions suitable for a PC idiot. Of course the Event Viewer is always full of errors and warning e.g. if the internet is down and a virus software can't update an error is recorded. But this would scare the non-PC savvy.

Anyhow the scammer called these mundane Errors and Warnings Malware and Viruses, that my PC was infected! Such bull***t.

He then tried to get me to open Internet Explorer and open onlinePCdoctors, but just in case he was getting me to connect to a website that would install viruses, I opened Firefox instead. I have Web of Trust installed and sure enough the website is listed as a scam / phishing site - I was blocked from connecting. So I told him it was a scam and I hung up.

I tired to record the conversation but in my haste I forgot to turn on my mic :mad:

johnfás

I just answered the phone (cold called), was greeted by hold music and then quickly transferred to speak to some chap with a heavily accented voice. He told me that he was calling from "Online PC Care" on behalf of windows. That my computer had been downloading files which I didn't want and that he was here to help. When I began to question him on how he got my number, or what he wanted to call me about, he became increasingly agitated. He became even more agitated when he asked me what version of windows I am using and I replied that if he was ringing on behalf of windows to help me, surely he would already know what version of windows I have. Then I hung up.

It was a very similar experience to this one, outlined on a blog I found through Google.

Has anyone here experienced this? Most bizarre.... but then you are for a moment thinking what if I do have some problem!!

First there was music. Then a heavily accented voice from a call centre in India. This minion's job was to get me to turn on my PC so they could achieve something. So, three mistakes there:

1. I don't have a PC that I use for anything except specialist purposes
2. This was a silent call, music notwithstanding. If they had been a UK company this would have been illegal
3. I am not the idiot they think I am

So I told the very nice and heavily accented gentleman that my PC takes ten minutes to boot. And that I would put him on hold. I explained he would hear music.

Then I turned the radio on and put the handset by the radio.

After 5 minutes I apologised that it would be another five minutes. He was still on the line!

After ten minutes I apologised that the machine had just crashed, and that it would be another ten minutes. He was still on the line!

After 20 minutes I told him that the machine had booted successfully!

Not only was he still on the line, he put me on hold then so I could speak to his supervisor. I decided to hold.

A much less accented lady came onto the line and asked me to look at my keyboard, so I did.

She told me where the Alt key was. Interestingly it is there! Bottom left hand side. Oh joy. Next to that she told me was the Windows key.

Ah yes, the windows key. That is very hard to find on a Mac. I explained that I couldn't see it.

She asked me to look at the bottom left hand corner of the screen and told me that there was a little button marked "Start". I told her there wasn't. What I have is "Finder', which has a smiley face.

When she asked what was there I told her that I had a smiley face. I believe in letting cold calling idiots hang themselves.

Instructed to click the smiley face, I did. She didn't believe me when I told her that a list of files opened.

At that point she got a bit upset and accused me of not having turned my PC on. I was waiting for the old customer service joke of being told to take the machine back to the store and to ask for a refund because I'm too stupid to own one!

Instead she actually decided to hang up!

Go me!

Another glorious way to annoy an unethical telesales company!

The thing about this lot is that I really can't see where the scam is. I suppose at some point they ask for payment for whatever it is they pretend they can do to your PC. Unless, of course, they deploy some sort of Trojan onto it and create some form of unpleasant botnet.

Whatever it is I don't want it.

This call is just like those guys who turn up in an old Ford Transit with a load old asphalt on the back and ask if you want your drive resurfaced, and then rip you off rotten by doing a bad job. You do not give access to your PC with your personal data, your bank details, on it to any old Tom, Dick or Harry. Instead you take up references.

I went to their web site at onlinepccare.com (and no, I will not dignify it with a link!):


Look! Top right. The satisfaction rating.

Of every 100 people, seven are dissatisfied! That's pretty poor!

No, that's awful!

That's apart from the silent call, and telling me that I had been contacted because I filled out a form when I bought my PC!

Scam artists!

Oh yes. Total call time was 24 minutes 51 seconds. I think that's a new record!

http://timtrent.blogspot.com/2010/04/online-pc-care-just-spam-cold-called-me.html

Tallon

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055837564

tman

johnfás wrote: »

on behalf of windows.

You should have taken that as your cue to end the phone call as rudely as possible tbh. Windows is a product, not a company...
It'd be like me saying I'm calling from Cheerios if I worked for Nestle:p

Obvious scam

biko

Sounds like a variant of social engineering.

aidan_walsh

Threads merged.

sidious smith

i just got a call a few mins ago and the same story, when i told him i would not turn on my pc he hung up[

mickeyboymel

I got one of these calls a few weeks back, and out of interest I indulged the indian guy until he revealed my number was taken from an online telephone directory! I bamboozeled him altogether when i kept repeating the word unsolicited and suggested he should use the start menu on HIS pc to open internet explorer and go to dictionary.com to find out what the word meant.

Ham'nd'egger

I got a call from these guys to the house phone just now and straight off they mentioned me as a Mr. so and so and wanted to know about my PC and windows. As a guy who is on his 4th Mac my need for his product was at best minimal but I was more concerned about where the house number was sought from as I never give it out.

After several times of being asked about my windows and being told how famous they are I asked to speak to a supervisor who told me all about my number being gotten from a computer shop. I then informed him that I found it unlikely that Apple gave them my number when I didn't buy from anywhere else nor did I give them the land line only to be told that my cousins may have given them my details! I asked to be put onto a manager only to be put on what was the same guy disguising my voice. Once again I asked where they got the number and he told me off for getting angry at him!!! At this stage he hung up on me and I was pleased knowing that I hadn't coughed up whatever info that they wanted from me:)

Dermot Illogical

Update: These jokers are now using the name "online pc care" as well as "online pc doctor" http://www dot onlinepccare dot com