Ed said:
A few of my friends have been getting cold-call spam from people with
Indian accents.
They say that they've looked inside their computer and there are stacks
of system errors that need urgent attention before the computer seizes
up. And then they say to open Event Viewer, System log, and look at the
number at the top.
They call back later and tell the panicking owner that for £82.99
they'll fix it.
I have 62,228 but I know better than to panic about information loggings.
Many don't; and I get the feeling that these scammers are making money.
Beware!
Ed
This is nothing new. Bogus tech support calls have been going on for
years. Telemarketing scams have been going on for many decades.
You must act now to get this low, low one-time price offer for this
timeshare.
/No thanks, I'll buy from the secondary market and get it even cheaper./
This offer ends today so you must buy now.
/No thanks, I wasn't thinking of your product before you called, and I
still don't need it./
You've won a free gift or prize. Just pay for the "shipping and
handling".
/Uh huh, get some crapola for free but pay royal for its delivery./
You've been specially selected for ....
/Um, just HOW did I get "selected"? No, you must specifically state how
you got my information? Hello? H-e-l-l-o?/
This is your Visa issuer and we're offering a special rate for our Visa
customers on premium payment assurance. This offer is valid only during
this call.
/I don't have a Visa account./
Oh, we handle Mastercard, too.
/Oh, you aren't my credit card company like you pretended. Click./
You've won a prize. That cash reward will be deposited into your credit
card. Please give us your name on your account, credit card number,
expiration date, and CVV so we can deposit your reward.
/Click./
We're selling ...
We're offering ...
We have a deal ...
We'd like a donation ...
/I'm on the DoNoCall list. Click./
We're selling, offering, or whatever ...
/That's sound interesting. Please hold for a sec .../
<Leave them on hold indefinitely.>
To complete this offer, please call our xxx number (which is in Bahamas,
Jamaica, Virgin Islands, China, or some other international call).
/Yeah, like I want to authorize bogus charges against my phone number by
dialing a non-USA number or to incur super-high international connect
charges while permanently on hold./
You've won $1M. <blah blah blah> Send $100 for processing fees.
/Hangup./
We've identified a patient at the hospital that is related to you but
cannot divulge personal information over the telephone without proper
identification. Don't hangup and please call the following number to
get information on your relative that was injured in an accident: *72...
(or 73#... or whatever is appropriate in your calling area).
/Hangup. Tis the old call forwarding scam./
http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/phonefraud/index.shtml
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel12.shtm