Has anyone been getting International Calls purporting to be from BT or Windows?

[PeckhamRose]

I have. Loads of them. One had me do a few checks on lap top which - as I had time to kill and was writing everything down and knew what he was doing - wasn't a problem till he said he would need to share my laptop to fix the errors and I kindly told him no.

They are all Asian sounding, and you can hear all their colleagues all speaking from the same script.

They are very good these people. They give themselves English sounding names, say they come from Manchester or somewhere in England or Scotland, and when you ask for a phone number they sometimes give one; I have had a number in Glasgow ie. 0141, a number in Thailand, and other numbers. None work.

But then one day one of them cited my own personal BT customer number.

I have reported this as potential fraud, on line on the police reporting system.

I also spoke to BT's internet security team. They say there is nothing they can do. And that they are aware people have lost thousands of pounds through this scam, but it is 'international' and they can do nothing about it.

I have not heard back from anyone about my reporting it on line except for an automatic acknowledgement.

I would estimate I get a call every other day.

Hmmmpph!

[LadyNorwood]

I ask them for their home phone number "you've got mine so it's only fair I've got yours" - confuses them and they usually swear at me for "wasting my time" and put the phone down..... One poor sod panicked, said he didn't have a landline and would his mobile do? I laughed and told him not to call me again - he was so relieved that he wasn't going to be plagued by some middle-aged nutter texting him at all hours that he promised! One young woman was very aggressive, I told her I didn't have a computer, "don't lie to me" she yelled (strictly speaking she was correct) and told me that I had to tell her the truth.... When I said I didn't have to tell her anything she became so insulting that I just put the phone down... Puerile I know, but it makes me chuckle.....

[DulwichFox]

Hi PeckhamRose

The Windows calls are a scam...

Someone will call you .. and tell you they are from Microsoft Windows

They tell you they are seeing errors from your PC.

Then they tell you they can fix it.

They instruct you to Click on Start Button and type eventviewer in the search box

Then click on Event Event Logs choose Administrative Events

They will ask you if you can see any warning messages or error reports

( You can try this. It is safe. and you will see warnings and errors)

They tell you these are viruses.. They are not They will always be there and are harmless reports.

Then they will do one of two things or both..

1. Ask for your credit card details so you can download software to fix your PC.

Any software will be Malware and infect your PC.

2. Get you to download software that will allow them to take control of your PC remotely.

They say they will need 15-20 to sort out your problem.

Then they are able to steal all your security details. Passwords / bank details.

These people are not from Microsoft. Microsoft will NEVER call you.

Do not download anything from these people.

DulwichFox.

[Loz]

Your job, should you receive one of these calls, is to keep them on the line for as long as possible and waste their time. Of course, it goes without saying, do not touch you computer during the call. Just make up daft stuff.

[Alan Medic]

I just had this emailed to me with an attachment. I got something similar the other day supposedly from companies house. I don't do a VAT return nor have any direct dealings with companies house.

Thank you for sending your VAT Return online. The submission for reference

7762622 was successfully received on Wed, 4 Dec 2013 11:32:45 +0100 and is

being processed. Make VAT Returns is just one of the many online services we

offer that can save you time and paperwork.

For the latest information on your VAT Return please open attached report.

The original of this email was scanned for viruses by the Government Secure

Intranet virus scanning service supplied by Cable&Wireless Worldwide in

partnership with MessageLabs. (CCTM Certificate Number 2009/09/0052.) On leaving

the GSi this email was certified virus free.

Communications via the GSi may be automatically logged, monitored and/or

recorded for legal purposes.

[DulwichFox]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Your job, should you receive one of these calls,

> is to keep them on the line for as long as

> possible and waste their time. Of course, it goes

> without saying, do not touch you computer during

> the call. Just make up daft stuff.

Yes I do spin them along sometimes expressing seemingly great concern.

Their instructions to

Click on Start Button and type eventviewer in the search box

Then click on Event Event Logs choose Administrative Events

is perfectly safe.

the information there is meaningless to most people (including me)

Just do not download anything or follow any links they might direct you to.

Do not give card details/ passwords / or e-mails

Usually If you ask them where they got your phone number from they will close the call.

If they say from your windows Microsoft ID. they are lying.

They cannot see your errors. They cold called you.

Or you can just tell them you do not use Windows, you use Linux. They will not know what you are talking about.

The people that call you are not technical. If they capture you they will pass you on to

another person who will carry out any techy stuff.

Foxy

[PeckhamRose]

Yes indeed I got the request to open event viewer. And as I said at the getgo, when they wanted to share my screen I said no. I have also spent endless minutes stringing them along, but when they initially call you the call appears to be made then the machine is voice operated. By this I mean, if you say Hello, someone will then talk with you. If you say nothing, it cuts out.

One woman told me her name was Stella and that it was a French name. All told in a perfect Asian accent.

[Loz]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I just had this emailed to me with an attachment.

> I got something similar the other day supposedly

> from companies house. I don't do a VAT return nor

> have any direct dealings with companies house.

There are lots of these going around, tax returns, parcel delivery, paypal etc. They are trying to get you to open the attachment, which WILL do very bad things to your computer.

Never open an attachment unless you know exactly what it is and who it came from - and expected it to be sent to you. Few organisations send attachments these days.