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Weird call from "Microsoft"

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  • 27-11-2015 12:51pm
    #1
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭


    I just received a weird telephone call from a "Microsoft technician". He had an Indian accent and was pretty vague about who he was representing. I couldn't understand him too well but he said my computer was sending messages to the Microsoft server and needed me to do something on my PC for him. I was going to hang up but I said I would humour him for a while. He asked me how old was my PC (it is about eight years old).Then he got me to open Event Viewer and asked me to tell him how many events were listed under Administrative Events. There were nearly 9000 (warnings and errors combined) and he went "Oh my God". He asked me what anti-virus I was using (it's Kaspersky).
    Then he wanted me to go online and download Teamviewer. I could see what he wanted to do next (do a screenshare) so I politely bid him good day and hung up as I said I couldn't verify his identity and I wouldn't let him use my PC.
    I have a cracked version of Windows on my PC anyway so I didn't want that to be found out. The weird thing is he called on my landline and I have never given that number to anyone (it's always my mobile). Also the number he called from was not blocked;I googled it and it seems to be an Indian mobile number. I am not posting it here as the mods may not approve.
    Has anyone else had a call like this?


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    #2
    mightyreds
    Registered Users Posts: 2,799 ✭✭✭mightyreds


    There's numerous threads on this it's a scam


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    #3
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    Hard to belive there are still people who don't know about this one.


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    #4
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭lukin


    Sorry mods, you can lock this so. I didn't know it had been posted before as I rarely look at this forum. I just thought it couldn't be a scam as his number wasn't blocked.


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    #5
    Ant695
    Registered Users Posts: 506 ✭✭✭Ant695


    KoolKid wrote: »
    Hard to belive there are still people who don't know about this one.

    You'd be surprised I've spoken to 3 people this week who got into bother with it. Even with all the media reports etc... people just panic and go along with it.


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    #6
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,177 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    I got a few of them back in the day. I usually respond with something like "You know about computers and stuff? Cool! Can you help me out with AIX logical volume manager? I've got a RAID-10 here that's acting kinda funny!" "<CLICK>" :D


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    #7
    Riesen_Meal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,577 ✭✭✭✭Riesen_Meal


    Mad to think these boyos are still on the scam, lucky you knew something was fishy, an elderly person may not have known...


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    #8
    joeysoap
    Registered Users Posts: 6,244 ✭✭✭joeysoap


    Friend also got this call., said he left his laptop at work and to call him back tomorrow. Called him again next day, friend told him he forgot and it was still at work and to call him again tomorrow. This went on for a week with my friend padding it out ie I am having problems with it - do you really think you can fix it, etc etc. reckoned they gave up after about 2 weeks .


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    #9
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    What's a blocked number got to do with it.?
    Most scammers numbers show up.
    Many genuine calls I deal with on a daily basis have numbers withheld.


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    #10
    lukin
    Registered Users Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭lukin


    KoolKid wrote: »
    What's a blocked number got to do with it.?
    Most scammers numbers show up.
    Many genuine calls I deal with on a daily basis have numbers withheld.

    It's just if I was ringing someone doing a scam the first thing I would do is hide my number. I don't suppose there is any point giving this number to consumer authority in Ireland/India?


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    #11
    The Pheasant2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,699 ✭✭✭The Pheasant2


    Get these the odd time; if I'm bothered I usually have a bit of fun with them "Oh you're from Microsoft? But I have a Mac?" and just be really stupid but compliant until they get too frustrated and curse me out - one of them literally threatened to come to my house and kill me :D spoofer


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    #12
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,177 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    The Pheasant2 wrote: »
    ...one of them literally threatened to come to my house and kill me :D spoofer

    I could probably use that lad. Is he any good with a cattle-prod, I wonder?? :confused:


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    #13
    AndyBoBandy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,369 ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    I wish I got more calls like this!!


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    #14
    K.Flyer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,565 ✭✭✭K.Flyer


    There are some great "scam the scammer" vids on you-tube.
    Funny how they great really nasty towards the end when they realise the "victim" was wise to them from the beginning. :pac:


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    #15
    AndyBoBandy
    Registered Users Posts: 15,369 ✭✭✭✭AndyBoBandy


    K.Flyer wrote: »
    There are some great "scam the scammer" vids on you-tube.
    Funny how they great really nasty towards the end when they realise the "victim" was wise to them from the beginning. :pac:

    Tom Mabe was great for the telemarketers, he always had his recorder set up to record calls, some great ones to check out on yootoobe (particularly 'The Murder Scene' check it out)


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