Hacking Phone Call

[lomapaseo]

I just received a phone call from a New York number
1-212-438-7895
Identified on my caller ID as McGraw Hill Co

Naturally assuming that they wanted to interview me for one of their publications I answered the call.

A heavily accented voice (India) informed me that they had gotten numerous reports of computer hacking in my area and I was being alerted so as to taking protective action ASAP.

I agreed so far (being naturally curious). She advised me not to turn on the internet but to simply turn on my computer and she would take me through the step by steps to protect myself.

I instead asked her to please send me the instructions via E-mail and hung up.

She immediatly called me back and left a message on my answering machine why I do not understanding the instructions.

anybody care to call her and translate the instructions for me ?

[Milo Minderbinder]

no point because the call is from a spoofed number. Fairly easy to do with an internet phone service

and you did right to ignore her. In the UK they typically take people for around £160, sometimes double that


you're not alone
212-438-7895 / 2124387895 1/3 (http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-212-438-7895)


from evidence given in that thread, this is who they appear to be
Welcome to Arjun AV (http://www.arjunaainternetsecurity.com/)
A computer security company with an OTT website and an overpriced product no-one has heard of. The website is almost certainly a showy front end for a rogue business - and this is the parent company
Arjun inc. (http://www.arjuninc.com/)

And heres the woman behind it all
Arjun inc. (http://www.arjuninc.com/Founder.html)
Smt. Bina Devi Jaiswal
(Chairperson)
Phone :

+91 33 40404545 / +91-8100919199

http://www.arjuninc.com/images/mrs_arjun.jpg

oh look - they're advertising for staff
Arjun inc. (http://arjuninc.com/Careers.html)
"Arjun InfoServe & E-Services Pvt. Ltd., is looking for fresher & experienced and tech-support (voice) executives for UK & US shifts. "

[BOAC]

loma - this forum is littered with such events, but the info from Milo is fascinating.

As other posts, keep them waiting, someone at the door, other line, etc etc and at the end ask them if it applies to a Mac/Linux/whatever that they have NOT been talking about. It is quite a sport.:D

[Tableview]

Offer to send them money. They will ask you to do it via Western Union. Refuse, and eventually they will give you a bank account. Then you contact that bank and inform them that the account is being used as a conduit for the proceeds of crime/scams. You may be lucky as I was and they will suspend it.

[lomapaseo]

First time for me via a phone with a legit looking number.

The word "hacking" set me off immediately since it is out of context for a phone call

Thanks to Milo for the great detective work :ok:

[Milo Minderbinder]

re payments - they've moved on from bank accounts
They usually insist on payment in the UK through a system called UKash.

Its a token system linked to mobile phone payments. Once the Indians have falsely identified problems with the machine, then you go round to the local corner shop and pay them cash, they enter it into the UKash system via their payment terminals (the ones used for paying utility bills, mobile phones etc) and they give you a printout with an ID number. The Indians phone back and take the number (at that point the cash is lost - irretrievable) and then pretend to fix the machine. Sometimes they'll install A/V software on the machine (often AVG free). In some cases I've known them send the customer to the corner shop two or three times - first to pay for the "work", and then again to pay for some "essential" cleanup software

Details of UKash
Easy, safe and private online payments for everyone. - Ukash (http://www.ukash.com/uk/en/home.aspx)

[Hydromet]

A referee's whistle is kept beside the workshop phone for these scum.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Unfortunately most call centres (even in India) are now used to that whistle trick and and have auditory overload filters built into the phone system.
Its also illegal under UK law - it counts as some kind of assault (I forget the actual details)

[Tableview]

Its also illegal under UK law - it counts as some kind of assault (I forget the actual details)
Somehow I can't see it going to court, and if it did, I can't see any judge or magistrate taking the side of the plaintiff.
Anyway, however much noise you make down a phone line, it is limited at the receiving end.

[Milo Minderbinder]

"Somehow I can't see it going to court, and if it did, I can't see any judge or magistrate taking the side of the plaintiff."

You'd think so, but believe it or not you're wrong
It was one of those things I had to be aware of back in my call centre days, and there certainly was a successful prosecution in the UK. I seem to remember the call centre operators also got hammered under a duty-of-care issue as well: the operator partially lost his/her hearing permanently. But it did happen.
Just wish I could remember the details....its a period of my life I normally try to forget. Call centres......aaaargh