A scammer's cold call...at 7.19...on a Saturday morning!
@asfarasiknow (3341)
Bournemouth, England
January 15, 2017 11:22am CST
My girlfriend answered the phone at 7.19 yesterday morning. Because of the time of the call she was worried that it might be some bad family news. But no, it was a scammer in another country, diverting through a UK-looking phone number and trying the old 'We're from your internet provider, there's a problem with your computer' con. He had already rung earlier in the week (at a more civilised hour). On that occasion she got rid of him by saying she couldn't understand his accent. He offered to speak more slowly before she hung up!
This time around, her pointing out that he was ringing at a totally unacceptable hour just led to him talking over her. In the end she told him very firmly - and very loudly - not to ring again.
But I know he will. And, whatever the hour, I really, really hope that it's me who gets to answer the next call...
8 people like this
9 responses
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Jan 17
No, I try not to sink to profanity with these scammers. Well, I try - but don't always succeed!
Sometimes I point out that I know what is happening: that their names are not 'David' or 'Vanessa', that they are ringing from India, not the UK, and that millions of customer details were hacked from the internet provider and sold to criminal gangs in their part of the world. They usually hang up before I get all that out.
Sometimes I tell them that my Ph.d brother has a very high-profile job in cyber security (which is true). That gets rid of them as well.
This time around, I may tell them that I actually work for the internet provider they claim to be from. It's a lie, of course, but then so is everything they say.
(Sigh) so many to choose from...
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
15 Jan 17
@asfarasiknow These scams originating from India are one of the fruits of British colonialism. Have you ever thought of that? The Brits spread English around the globe and now it's coming back. :-)
We don't have them in Germany. It would be interesting to learn if the French get the same kind of calls from their North African ex-colonials.
Monsieur @topffer, please enlighten us.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Jan 17
@MALUSE That's an interesting thought. I know that American tech firms outsource to legitimate call centres in India. I wonder if they get the scam calls as well.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9861)
• Ireland
19 Jan 17
@asfarasiknow How is this possible?
Do they convince people to provide personal information?
I would never trust anyone who would ask for information through the phone.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
19 Jan 17
Sadly they weren't even selling a service. It's a scam where they take s payment for nothing/streal details from.people's computers.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
19 Jan 17
@besweet They claim to be from Microsoft or your internet provider and they tell a story that your computer is running slowly or has been hacked. They ask people to go onto their computers and then they access them remotely to steal data. Or they ask for a payment over the phone, maybe £50, to 'fix' the non-existent problem.
1 person likes this
@xstitcher (30386)
• Petaluma, California
23 Jan 17
Ugh. Scammer phone calls are awful at anytime, but especially early in the morning...
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
24 Jan 17
There have been a few news stories in the past week about one UK provider coming up with a new blocking service and database. It will be interesting to see if these are any more effective than those already around.
@xstitcher (30386)
• Petaluma, California
24 Jan 17
@asfarasiknow I hope that it works !
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
15 Jan 17
They are relentless aren't they, my husband keeps telling them he has no computer and he is right, it is me with all the computers lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
15 Jan 17
@asfarasiknow It is the same here.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Jan 17
The calls seem to subside for a few weeks but then a whole new wave of them start.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
15 Jan 17
I actually think that the transmission of a fake number for CLI (calling line identification) purposes is illegal. But of course, the person calling you is often far-removed from the organ-grinder...
All the best playing tech tag with them the next time they call...
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
15 Jan 17
I'm sure it is illegal but we get calls looking as if they are from UK landlines (a lot of 0203s) and mobile numbers, followed, of course, by a delay of several seconds before the call from India actually connects. I would not be surprised to get one supposedly from the dialling code of my own area!
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
15 Jan 17
@asfarasiknow I have received a scam call bearing a local 02877 code, which is the only reason I picked it up. They stop at nothing.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (18957)
• United States
16 Jan 17
Whenever I get those calls, I hang up. Then I either block them, or not answer the next time.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
16 Jan 17
Here we find that blocking isn't always possible/effective. Many will keep ringing several times a day until they get an answer. I get some satisfaction from answering and telling them I know which scam they're trying to work - then THEY hang up!
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
9 Mar 17
@asfarasiknow Oh my! They really can do that. That's why me, when someone would call and I don't know them, I will yell NO and hang up. 
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
8 Mar 17
They are scammers, usually claiming to be from Microsoft or the intended victim's internet provider, and claiming that there is a problem.with the computer. They either try and claim they can fix it by charging a fee over the phone or they get the person to open up the computer and they remotely access and steal various data. The latest variation is them claiming the person is owed a large amount of compensation for a past problem a and they take bank details and then empty the account. I enjoy telling them in my own particular way that I know what they're up to.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
9 Mar 17
@SIMPLYD I think that's the right thing to do.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (49100)
• United States
15 Jan 17
Those kinds of calls are such a bother
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
16 Jan 17
Even when it's people with 'quick surveys' (in other words, harvesting data to be sold to other cold callers) they seem to act as if they are in some way entitled to your time.
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
16 Jan 17
Those wacky scammers. They'll try anything.
1 person likes this
@asfarasiknow (3341)
• Bournemouth, England
16 Jan 17
And, seemingly, at any time.
1 person likes this
