*SCAM* Cold calling, to fix virus issues...

M

Mickymoody

I saw this in the teletext, and thought surely nobody would fall for that...

Then I get a call from my Mother, she was cold called, someone pestering her, you have several viruses on your computer, she needed time to compute, as this was early morning, they said they would call back..

Which they did, they convinced my mother to log onto the computer, make several changes, they then accessed her computer, installed virals on her computer, to buy antivirus software, said that AVG doesn't work, and that she is open to attack, then after an hour or so, finally came up with the creme de la creme, if you DON'T pay for this software, we will reinstall all these (fictional) viruses back onto your computer, that we just removed free of charge.

I presume the number left for a callback is also a premium rate number, as all of it is a scam.

They even installed a blatant web pop up, easily removed.. But I worry, about any hidden nasties they have planted.

I previously heard of this scam, being based on the Isle of Mann, and maybe someone arrested?

My mum is pretty tech savvy, but happy shopper, but I thought - not that naive...so if you have friends, family, that use a computer, but don't control it....Watch out for this scam.

This has been reported to trading standards.

People that post are generally more tech savvy than the people they know, so spead the word.

If someone rang me, saying my compy is fubar...cold calling, I'd be onto the Police immediately..but people close to me didn't see that, so how many other people have been hacked, without full knowledge, of what they did?

I'd willingly go door to door, for free ;) and accept to restore their computer to hacker free. I'm sure thousands, if not millions worldwide have been affected by this scam?

Have you any experience of this scam? It was in the news? Then that kills spam. And fraud.
 
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I've had quite a few phone calls from somebody with a barely intelligible accent:

"This is Microsoft technical services. Your computer has reported a problem."

The first time round I could hardly make a word out so I replied:

"I never reported a problem with my computer!" :confused: :confused: :confused:

"No, no, your computer has reported a problem."

At this point the penny dropped. Remember those Windows pop-ups that invite you to send the details of a fault to Microsoft? I wonder how many people just click SEND? To cut a long story short, I informed him in no uncertain terms that Microsoft didn't know my phone number, that my computer was not visible on the internet and Microsoft didn't even know I had one. That shut him up. :cool: :cool: :cool:

The second time it happened I was more on the ball --

"What computer? Why do you think I've got a computer?" and the line went dead. :) :) :)

Has anybody else had one of these? I don't know what they're after. My first thought was that they're harvesting license keys.
 
Yes a friend of mine did this.....allowed them remote access to her computer :confused: and then paid them £60 via her credit card :confused: :confused: to repair a non existent fault.

I have already rescued her from a time share scam .....

I have tried to tell her not to fall for it.... but some people do every time..... there is just no hope for them :(
 
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Not to add fire to my thread, but I got maybe scammed today!!!

I received a letter to my address, but addressed to a F Patel, saying mortgage payments would not be made.

So presumably someone with that name, is attempting to claim mortgage payments on my house?

I opened the letter, as there was no other information on it to return to sender. So took it to a dole advisor, that I know, that said they will take care of the issue???

So how does that pan out? A scammer? Or the dole suppressing it?

I know of no Mr Patel at my address. But presume that the dole will suppress information, about this scam, 2 scams in two days, what happens tomorrow?
 
In regard to the law of this land.
The law on this issue is clear, as it has recently been confirmed in the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Quite simply, it is an offence to open, destroy, hide or delay any post that is addressed to someone else. Post cannot be opened if it is to the addressee's detriment and without reasonable excuse. Reasonable excuse is not defined by the Act. This means your explanation for withholding post may not stand up in court.


It is also an offence to divert someone's post in order to intentionally delay them from receiving it. An example of this could be where a person re-posts documents or cheques to delay the addressee from acting upon them.


They may have been just reporting unauthoursied opening to the Post Office / Police.
 
It’s very clear; it’s a surprise someone of your intellect cannot work it out.

Quite simply, it is an offence to open, destroy, hide or delay any post that is addressed to someone else.

It may have had your address on it, but not your name.
You amaze me at times, such a versatile person, with vast experiences. Yet you seem to stumble on a few words of perfectly legible English.
 
It’s very clear; it’s a surprise someone of your intellect cannot work it out.

Quite simply, it is an offence to open, destroy, hide or delay any post that is addressed to someone else.

It may have had your address on it, but not your name.
You amaze me at times, such a versatile person, with vast experiences. Yet you seem to stumble on a few words of perfectly legible English.

So to prevent a crime against me is illegal? How would I have any chance of return to sender the letter to the rightful owner? So you suggest I bin a letter to my address, and ignore it? Or try to forward it on to the person that it was intended for? You Alarm, are a very strange person! Especially as the letter refers to a critical item. You are very strange. Totally illogical logic.
 
Logically, the correct thing to do would have been to give it back to the postman. They did things correctly by delivering the mail to the correct address, regardless of the name on the letter. It is not their business to know who lives where, but to deliver the mail. Once given back it would have been returned to the main sorting office. Where they are authorised to open the mail in those circumstances, with a witness I believe. To see no wrong doing is done and to make sure the incorrect item is returned to the sender.
They are the only people allowed to interfere with mail, unless of course a warrant has been issued and then the Police can then open mail.
So for someone normally so well informed, you have made a little error here unfortunately.
 
How would I have any chance of return to sender the letter to the rightful owner? So you suggest I bin a letter to my address, and ignore it? Or try to forward it on to the person that it was intended for?

No, you just write "Unknown at this address - Return to sender" or something similar on the envelope, then drop it back in the mail. If there's a visible return address on the outside, then the letter should end up back at that address unopened. If there's no return address visible then, as Alarm says, Royal Mail should open it officially to try and find an address inside to which it can be returned. But either way, you've satisfied your obligations.
 
no offence to anyone here but if you are gullible enough to fall for these scams, you deserve to be scammed. The ONLY exception being the elderly, who are often intimidated and pressured into doing as the scammers say.
 
course they be proper jobs me 'ansom.....you'll find un there drekly :eek:
 
The scam originally discussed is at least 2 years old!
It was tried on myself that far back with no success!
 
Logically, the correct thing to do would have been to give it back to the postman. They did things correctly by delivering the mail to the correct address, regardless of the name on the letter. It is not their business to know who lives where, but to deliver the mail. Once given back it would have been returned to the main sorting office. Where they are authorised to open the mail in those circumstances, with a witness I believe. To see no wrong doing is done and to make sure the incorrect item is returned to the sender.
They are the only people allowed to interfere with mail, unless of course a warrant has been issued and then the Police can then open mail.
So for someone normally so well informed, you have made a little error here unfortunately.

Or alternatively, by opening it, as it was addressed to my address, finding out that it was from the dole, and giving that letter to someone that works for the dole, that lives opposite me, to investigate it, cut out the time and resources of the postal service, and the police? Where someone is attempting to intercept my mail, and affect what I get paid or not. I live in a pretty small village, where everyone pretty much knows everyone elses business. And nobody knows this person. I frequently get incorrectly addressed letters, and post them on, or RTS, and have workmen turn up, that have the wrong address. So technically, I made an error, by not following the correct channels, but if I open a letter that arrives at my house, I don't double check it, before opening it. Only suspicious when the address is incorrect.

Ironnaz - my Mother is elderly, and I knew of this scam, but cannot believe that she fell for this scam.

So, Alarm, as usual, you seem to have some issue with me. You criticise everything I write, or comment on. I'm trying to make people aware of these scams, you try to lay the blame at my door, I don't understand the reasons that causes you to do that? As you deflect the point from people being scammed, to suggest that I'm breaking the law on purpose? So Alarm, for once....shhhhhhh! You hurt my brain.
 
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