Calls about an 'infection'
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: UK
Calls about an 'infection'
In the last few weeks I have had five calls (caller ID said INT'L) from people telling me that I have an 'infection' on my computer. The callers all had strong Indian accents and knew my name. They wanted me to turn on my computer and follow their instructions to remove the 'infection'.
Of course there's no way that I'd do this, but I'm interested to know what would have happened if I did.
Dave
Of course there's no way that I'd do this, but I'm interested to know what would have happened if I did.
Dave
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
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From: Wor Yerm
A few minutes ago I received a call from Global Computer Maintenance. Apparently these people have been receiving lots of messages from my "Windows" computer saying that it is infected with spyware etc. By running "eventvwr" and "temp_spyware" (you have to click continue to get to the temp. files) you'll be shown lots of "nasty" problems. Having nothing to do for a few minutes, I was able to waste just over 17 minutes of the slippery shyte's time before I had to swear at him with my very best invective and racist abuse. Anyway, the site they wanted me to visit was www.logmein123.com, a site hosted by INTERNAP a US based . How about bombing these guys with emails?
Oh - and the git rang me back a few minutes later to swear back at me. Unfortunately, he didn't leave his number or an address.
PM
Oh - and the git rang me back a few minutes later to swear back at me. Unfortunately, he didn't leave his number or an address.
PM
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Earth
Airclues
They would have planted a backdoor trojan/rootkit to enable them to return at a later date and/or make your computer part of a zombie network.
Piltdown Man
Only if you wish to find yourself without an internet connection. ISPs quite rightly take a dim view of "email bombing" and will cut you off, no questions asked.... it is classified as a form of DoS attack.
Of course there's no way that I'd do this, but I'm interested to know what would have happened if I did.
Piltdown Man
How about bombing these guys with emails?
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: UK
Having read the other thread I remembered that the first call (about five weeks ago) was after I had sent an error report to Microsoft. The caller knew about that report. I've had four calls since. In todays call the lady had such a strong Indian accent that it was difficult to understand her.
How do these people get information about an error report from Microsoft?
Dave
(9 days until the PC goes to the dump (after the anglegrinder has eaten the HD) and I become a MacMan).
How do these people get information about an error report from Microsoft?
Dave
(9 days until the PC goes to the dump (after the anglegrinder has eaten the HD) and I become a MacMan).
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3
Likes: 5
From: Wor Yerm
They don't. These are cold calls and rely on suckers to bite, so to speak. But I have a very straight forward way of dealing any calls from India. Firstly, if they are legitimate calls initiated by a UK company I immediately cancel any and every account I have with that company. I make it known that I am cancelling my account because they use offshore call centres. But if they are cold calls and I have time to spare, I'll see how long I or my children (6, 10 & 12) can keep them on the line. It's better than the Playstation and you can have a bit of a giggle. Feckers the lot of them. And my ISP will not cut me off unless he wants a real fight.
PM
PM
More bang for your buck
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,513
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From: land of the clanger
This is the best way I've ever heard for dealing with such calls. 
(It's sound only)
Lepak.TV - The Greatest Prank Call Ever (mustwatch)
(It's sound only)Lepak.TV - The Greatest Prank Call Ever (mustwatch)
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 623
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From: UK
They don't. These are cold calls and rely on suckers to bite
I asked him where he was phoning from and he said 'Salt Lake City'. I assumed, at the time that he was phoning from the US but I've since discovered that Salt Lake City is an area of Kolkata.
Dave
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From: Twickenham, home of rugby
Airclues,
Can you check the contents of your hosts file?
windows\system32\drivers\etc
I wonder if error reporting has been hijacked from the correct MS address to something nefarious.
SD
Can you check the contents of your hosts file?
windows\system32\drivers\etc
I wonder if error reporting has been hijacked from the correct MS address to something nefarious.
SD
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 18,575
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From: UK
MB - Laptop is a MAC - AC was trying a 'ruse' -
SD - there has been an air of suspicion about M$ and the 'security' of customer info for some time - possibly no 'diversion' required?
No, the first called definately knew that I'd sent an error report to Microsoft
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 45
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From: Manchester, UK
My Mum got caught by one of these type of scammers. He phoned up saying she'd been having trouble with her internet (which she had) and talked her through enabling remote access. He then installed a program on her machine.
She then sudddenly panicked, uninstalled the program, and ran a full scan with Norton. Is there anything else you guys would recommend she do, short of chucking out the PC?
She then sudddenly panicked, uninstalled the program, and ran a full scan with Norton. Is there anything else you guys would recommend she do, short of chucking out the PC?
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: UK
YP - that was stunning - a classic. Thanks for the link.
Pike - the usual advice - download Malwarebytes (MBAM) from a reliable source like CNET, allow it to update and then run a full scan. It will tell your mum if her machine has a problem.
Pike - the usual advice - download Malwarebytes (MBAM) from a reliable source like CNET, allow it to update and then run a full scan. It will tell your mum if her machine has a problem.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 314
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From: uk
Airclue - did they have specific information about the report or was it a case of them saying 'You've sent an error report to Microsoft' and you said 'Yes, how did you know?'
It's a common trick done by psychics - saying 'has someone lost a loved one recently' knowing that there is a very good chance that someone in the audience has, and they then think it's amazing the psychic knew about it.
It's a common trick done by psychics - saying 'has someone lost a loved one recently' knowing that there is a very good chance that someone in the audience has, and they then think it's amazing the psychic knew about it.