Today [4]

sergiogarcia9 said:

johnwillyums said:

Just had a very strange 'phone call. Guy sounded Indian and knew my name. He said that I had had 4 error warnings on my pc and wanted to help. I was immediately suspicious. I don't recall having any errors for ages.
I said "what are you trying to sell?" and he said he wasn't selling anything just trying to help me. He told me that I should press the Windows key on my keyboard if I wanted to avoid BSODs and eventually a black screen and total failure.
Naturally I didn't do anything but kept asking him how he had any knowledge of my pc and why it was any concern of his anyway. He said that "the engineer" had reported the errors and he was my only hope of avoiding disaster.
I continued asking him who "the engineer" was and how he knew anything about me or my pc and he just kept saying to press the Windows key.
I suggested again that he should explain who he was and be honest about what he was trying to sell.
In the end he hung up.
Very weird. Anybody any ideas?

I'd check my door locks and go buy myself a gun...

But maybe thats just me


Maybe it was Dinesh who called you (j/k )

It was probably that Dinesh impersonator that hacked his SF acct many months ago

DocBrown said:

sergiogarcia9 said:

johnwillyums said:

Just had a very strange 'phone call. Guy sounded Indian and knew my name. He said that I had had 4 error warnings on my pc and wanted to help. I was immediately suspicious. I don't recall having any errors for ages.
I said "what are you trying to sell?" and he said he wasn't selling anything just trying to help me. He told me that I should press the Windows key on my keyboard if I wanted to avoid BSODs and eventually a black screen and total failure.
Naturally I didn't do anything but kept asking him how he had any knowledge of my pc and why it was any concern of his anyway. He said that "the engineer" had reported the errors and he was my only hope of avoiding disaster.
I continued asking him who "the engineer" was and how he knew anything about me or my pc and he just kept saying to press the Windows key.
I suggested again that he should explain who he was and be honest about what he was trying to sell.
In the end he hung up.
Very weird. Anybody any ideas?

I'd check my door locks and go buy myself a gun...

But maybe thats just me


Maybe it was Dinesh who called you (j/k )

It was probably that Dinesh impersonator that hacked his SF acct many months ago

Doc,
Maybe it was Nellie (Post 341) who escaped from the pen!

johnwillyums said:

Just had a very strange 'phone call. Guy sounded Indian and knew my name. He said that I had had 4 error warnings on my pc and wanted to help. I was immediately suspicious. I don't recall having any errors for ages.
I said "what are you trying to sell?" and he said he wasn't selling anything just trying to help me. He told me that I should press the Windows key on my keyboard if I wanted to avoid BSODs and eventually a black screen and total failure.
Naturally I didn't do anything but kept asking him how he had any knowledge of my pc and why it was any concern of his anyway. He said that "the engineer" had reported the errors and he was my only hope of avoiding disaster.
I continued asking him who "the engineer" was and how he knew anything about me or my pc and he just kept saying to press the Windows key.
I suggested again that he should explain who he was and be honest about what he was trying to sell.
In the end he hung up.
Very weird. Anybody any ideas?

I swear it wasn't me.

I know it wasn't you Dinesh - at no time during the call did the person offer John the "jumbo" Package option

Barman58 said:

I know it wasn't you Dinesh - at no time during the call did the person offer John the "jumbo" Package option

Barman58 said:

I know it wasn't you Dinesh - at no time during the call did the person offer John the "jumbo" Package option

Good entry Nigel!
I was thinking of the "Dumbo" package but yours was better.

pebbly said:

Airbot said:

Someone here was posting about the same kind of experience just the other day I think. Too bad I couldn't tell you were the post was.

Something about some software companies calling people and scamming them into installing their rogue software.

Maybe one of the security users here will know where the posts are on it.

Here you go post no 2 by Corrine Teamviewer scam - beware

Thanks Aaron and Pebbly:)
I read Corrine's post regarding this and am reassured that I'm not being targeted specifically.

I never for a moment suspected Dinesh or any kind of elephant involvement.

Actually these guys weren't very good. I kept saying "if your not selling anything why are you concerned about the well being of my computer, are you just nice guys?"
He just kept repeating that "the engineer" had foreseen imminent disaster mantra. He didn't seem able to improvise much.
I imagine this would work on a complete noob with learning difficulties and no common sense.

johnwillyums said:

Just had a very strange 'phone call. Guy sounded Indian and knew my name. He said that I had had 4 error warnings on my pc and wanted to help. I was immediately suspicious. I don't recall having any errors for ages.
I said "what are you trying to sell?" and he said he wasn't selling anything just trying to help me. He told me that I should press the Windows key on my keyboard if I wanted to avoid BSODs and eventually a black screen and total failure.
Naturally I didn't do anything but kept asking him how he had any knowledge of my pc and why it was any concern of his anyway. He said that "the engineer" had reported the errors and he was my only hope of avoiding disaster.
I continued asking him who "the engineer" was and how he knew anything about me or my pc and he just kept saying to press the Windows key.
I suggested again that he should explain who he was and be honest about what he was trying to sell.
In the end he hung up.
Very weird. Anybody any ideas?

Maybe he was a Mac fanatic. If you told him you had no windows key, he'd have taken you off his list! You should have asked him how many bars he had

CarlTR6 said:

Got back home from North Carolina late last night. I fired up my computer and discovered my modem and wireless router were toast. My guess is a lightening strike while we were gone. Just finished installing my new router/modem combination and am back on line! After ten days with almost no internet access in North Carolina, I have been suffering severe Seven Forums withdrawal! I had my computer and UPS completely unplugged, so no computer or peripheral damage.

Good to see you are connected again Carl, way to look at it is, could have been much worse!

A Guy

CarlTR6 said:

Got back home from North Carolina late last night. I fired up my computer and discovered my modem and wireless router were toast. My guess is a lightening strike while we were gone. Just finished installing my new router/modem combination and am back on line! After ten days with almost no internet access in North Carolina, I have been suffering severe Seven Forums withdrawal! I had my computer and UPS completely unplugged, so no computer or peripheral damage.

Welcome back Carl,

It's always nice to get away for a while, even from the computer

johnwillyums said:

Just had a very strange 'phone call. Guy sounded Indian and knew my name. He said that I had had 4 error warnings on my pc and wanted to help. I was immediately suspicious. I don't recall having any errors for ages.
I said "what are you trying to sell?" and he said he wasn't selling anything just trying to help me. He told me that I should press the Windows key on my keyboard if I wanted to avoid BSODs and eventually a black screen and total failure.
Naturally I didn't do anything but kept asking him how he had any knowledge of my pc and why it was any concern of his anyway. He said that "the engineer" had reported the errors and he was my only hope of avoiding disaster.
I continued asking him who "the engineer" was and how he knew anything about me or my pc and he just kept saying to press the Windows key.
I suggested again that he should explain who he was and be honest about what he was trying to sell.
In the end he hung up.
Very weird. Anybody any ideas?

It's a scam. There's something similar going on in Australia.

They rely on people being naive.

EDIT:
Just noticed it's already been mentioned.

Best thing to do is play along and say "I am doing what you tell me" while doing the exact opposite. it wastes their time and frustrates them in the process.