Virus Scam

[Admin]

Well how about this...remember I am in the IT business...had a phone call from a guy (Indian accent) saying he was from Optus Technical Support. I am with Optus so all ok so far...2 boxes checked (Indian accent and Optus).

 

He said that Optus had been informed from the telecommunications authority that a PC on my IP address had a virus. I asked what virus and he said the ramnit one. My ears pricked up because that is a pretty nasty virus. My mind was ticking over like it was on a dual core processor...2 different thought threads going at the same time...With all the protection that I have on my network how could that in any way be possible and Is this a scam?

 

He said he was ringing me as Optus had the files to disinfect my PCs and he would help me do it. He then asked what anti virus I was using to which I advised him that was my business and until I can verify the authenticity of the phone call I will not tell him. He then said that he advised me that the phone call was being recorded which Optus normally does. I said easy words to say.

 

I then asked him what was my Optus account number...he didn't know as those details were not passed to him and he was only there to help me.

 

I then asked him what is my IP address...he didn't know as that would come out in the disinfection process.

 

I then asked him for his name and phone number which he gave me as Dave and a 1300 number.

 

I then advised him that I was hanging up and would ring Optus Technical Support back using the phone number I have for them.

 

Before I called Optus Technical Support I checked all the devices on my network which has 2xPCs, 2xLaptops, 2xIpods, 1xIpad, 1xNetBook and 3xPhones and everything was clean.

 

I called Optus Technical Support using my normal umber and they have no record of the call to me and they also don't call their users but wait for them to ring Optus if they are having any problems...they did say that there is a bad virus going around today DNS Changer but that was all. I had already checked for the DNS Changer Virus so I knew I was ok with that.

 

So, just be careful out there and it may be just me but I am noticing so many scams around these days that it is getting very nasty out there.

 

Oh, if you want to check for the DNS Changer Virus, go to dns-ok.gov.au and see if you get the OK message...it is a Gov run tool so it is safe.

 

 

[kgwilson]

I have registered with the "do not call" or whatever it is website to get rid of telemarketers and things have been great for the last year or so. Recently though I have had 3 similar calls to yours Ian. Always a sub continent accent, always from someone purporting to be from my ISP & saying I had a virus. I have never got any further with them & have told them to $%@# off quite quickly. The first time I did a full scan & checked my AVS provider website for the latest definitions etc but now do nothing. It is just another angle on the million ways to scam.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I tell them I just need to put the phone down for a sec to reach the power switch on my PC....

 

 

[Zibi]

One of the guys at work has been getting those phone calls pretty often.

 

He was saying that they often make you run some command or check event log in Windows to confirm you have problems.

 

Usually they'll ask you to either provide them a remote desktop access to your computer or install some fully legit remote access software (like team viewer) and then let them log in to "fix" stuff.

 

I can only imagine what they do once the get access to your computer (but even if you didn't have viruses before you'll have some now, or at least a key logger of some kind).

 

The best thing to do if you have some spare time is to let them hang on the phone for as long as you can keep them wasting their time.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

India is trashing its reputation and exporting its corruption - between these lying thieves, the rude call centre intruders and the fake pharmaceutical pills the country is set to be regarded like Nigeria before long.

 

 

[ahlocks]

If you have the time to spend, play with their heads. My best time was 25 minutes. before he hung up threatening to report me to the government for fraud 'cuz the credit card numbers I kept making up didn't work.

 

 

[turboplanner]

India will never win the war as long as we've got you Ah Lo.

 

 

[cscotthendry]

I had a call from a chap with an Indian accent purporting to be from Westpac bank and asking for some "personal details to confirm my identity". The call was definitely an overseas call as it had that annoying satellite delay. When I asked him what the call was about, he said that he couldn't say until my identity was confirmed. He also gave me a phone number to call to verify his authenticity. Obviously, the number he gave me would have just reconnected me with him. Instead, I looked up the Westpac number from the internet and called them. They said that WESTPAC DO NOT HAVE ANY CALL CENTERS IN INDIA. Busted!

 

It's been said many times before but worth repeating

 

DO NOT GIVE OUT PERSONAL DETAILS TO ANYONE WHO CALLS YOU ON THE PHONE FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER.

 

Independently research the phone number of the organisation that the caller purports to be from and call them to verify if there is an issue.

 

I have had the same call that Ian got and I know several people who also got one of those calls, including my 85 year old mother in law. It put the fear of God into her, but fortunately she had the presence of mind to refuse to answer their questions and called me instead.

 

Also, I no longer make donations to charities from telephone solicitations for the same reasons.

 

 

[.:Evan:.]

I tell them that we are fully Linux in our household ... That makes them squirm!

 

 

[turboplanner]

I've had emails with Westpac and Iinet registered logos, very high quality, and using the casual phrases inviting contact to email numbers starting with "Westpac"......com etc - all scams.

 

I've managed to offload the subcontinent phoners offering to help fix my computers by using an official voice and saying "You've called the wrong number this time, your call is locked in and the FBI have been called" there's usually a click on the line in a nanosecond.

 

 

[old man emu]

Old Ma Emu and I got an email purporting to be from Telstra seeking similar information about our credit card details. The email address looked and the Old Ma was about to submit info when she got an attack of the suspicions. She forwarded the email to Telstra for their information.

 

I just love being around her when we get one of these calls. We have number ID working on our phone, and when it comes up "International Private" Ma knows that she is in for some fun. Her ancestors must have lived near a track used by bullock teams, because the language she fires back at the caller would make a bullocky blush. The disappointing thing is that we know that the caller doesn't understand a word of what has been said.

 

We once got a call from the USA from someone selling insurance. My son took the call and had the caller going for ages by saying that he was an "Hand Model" and could he insure his hands against accidental damage etc. He gave his name as Adolf Luftwaffe, but still the penny did not drop. A few days later we got a call back from the same bloke asking to speak to .......... you guessed it!

 

OME

 

 

[Zibi]

I tell them that we are fully Linux in our household ... That makes them squirm!

It's even better if you tell them that you can't get to their website as you have no internet connection.

 

 

[dazza 38]

We never get calls since being on the do not call register. Well, im only home 2 weeks out of 4.I dunno if the phone rings when im not here. Having said that, the home phone rang yesterday arvo.It said Private number on the screen.I normally dont answer private numbers I let the answering machine pick it up.This time I did.I did the normal thing I do when its a private number, I picked up the handset, but I didnt not talk into it .Normally if its a scam type thing, after about 10 seconds computor generated voice says Goodbye.

 

Anyway it was like a mexican stand off.LOL. I said nothing and the other person said nothing.This went on for about 15 seconds.I then said hello.It was actually a gent who wants me to quote to plumb two pools for him.LOL.I fly out tomorrow so I am seeing him in two weeks time when I get back.

 

So the do not call register seems to be working well.Well it has for the last 12 months or so.

 

 

[turboplanner]

That'll teach you Dazza.

 

Charities are exempt from the Do Not Call register, and they are some of the worst offenders congregating around the evening meal.

 

I found this out one night after I pointed out to the Cancer Council that I was on the register and received a 15 minute blast about what a bastard I was not donating etc. I missed my opportunity, but a few months later they phoned again and the conversation went something like this:

 

Me: "Thanks for calling! I really appreciate it, when do I get the money?)

 

Them: "What do you mean?"

 

Me: "Well your collecting for cancer and I've got it so the money must be going to people like me isn't it?

 

Them: ".............then ten minutes of umming and aring, and very pleased to get off the line.

 

While the collectors are crass, in fairness to the Council I agreed to go in and donate blood and skin details for their research programme, and was absolutely blown away by the scale of the skin cancer research they are doing and the progress they are making. It appears that the dose of sun we get early in life may come out in places other than our skin later in life.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Good Point Tubs, I forgot to mention that charities are exempt from the Do not call register.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi Guys,

 

I have been getting this type of call for a few weeks but have stopped now. I announce myself as "contable Reese" how may I help you? After a lot of spluttering the person hangs up, I think the people re-rang to confirm the number but I gave them the same story but different name every time, the callers have given up.

 

The other one we get I just say "Simplicity Funerals how may I help you" and they hang up too, ha, ha, oh I am so bad but have fun with them!

 

Bob.

 

 

[Guest pookemon]

I think you'll also find that international callers - especially scammer's like the one Ian mentioned - are also "exempt" (aka couldn't give a stuff) from the do-not-call-register.

 

These scams are all too common. A colleague setup a Virtual Machine and gave them access to it just to waste their time (he needs a hobby) and see what they'd do. That gave him the details of the "Log me In" account they use which he then got banned by reporting it to Cisco(?). But they'd just create another account and keep on going.

 

 

[ahlocks]

India will never win the war as long as we've got you Ah Lo.

Not my fault if I can't remember credit card numbers or where I live or what my name is....

 

Tried to convince one that we don't have a telephone and that he was a voice in my head..... The silly bugger wanted to argue?!

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Had this guy call me at work from Foxtel, thought he was just trying to sign me up and I was about the hang up but for some reason I hesitated for a couple of seconds. Turns out he was an engineer there and wanted some work done, ended up getting about $150k of business from them....

 

 

[dazza 38]

Had this guy call me at work from Foxtel, thought he was just trying to sign me up and I was about the hang up but for some reason I hesitated for a couple of seconds. Turns out he was an engineer there and wanted some work done, ended up getting about $150k of business from them....

LOL yep that has happened to me.I have had similar, but it was somebody wanting me to do a job.(not the one I mentioned earlier this arvo). I nealy hung up on a guy because I thought he was trying to sell me something.I guess i have to not jump the gun when people ring up.

 

 

[ahlocks]

5 seconds of silence followed by "herro, speak toh owna da busnuuss" is never a good start...

 

 

[eightyknots]

This thread reminded me of a really interesting telephone approach to a pesky telemarketer. After a few minutes searching, I found it on youtube. A similar technique may be worth adopting for persistent and annoying callers:

 

 

[bacon]

I had a phone call the other day from an old lady that said she was from the seeing eye dogs association and was selling tickets to a raffle and collecting donations it all sounded legit so I gave her my credit card details to buy a ticket was $50 got alarm bells ringing but she seemed so nice and innocent went along with it. I got off the phone and it was bugging me all afternoon that something wasnt right with the phone call, so I rung up the seeing eye dogs and they said they have no raffle Where tickets are $50 and they will never ring on a blocked number, So I got scammed they did not get any money out of me cause I rung up and cancelled card straight away. Just goes to show they are trying anything and pretending to be anyone the thing that got me was it sounded like a older lady on the phone very sad!!!

 

 

[eightyknots]

I had a phone call the other day from an old lady that said she was from the seeing eye dogs association and was selling tickets to a raffle and collecting donations it all sounded legit so I gave her my credit card details to buy a ticket was $50 got alarm bells ringing but she seemed so nice and innocent went along with it. I got off the phone and it was bugging me all afternoon that something wasnt right with the phone call, so I rung up the seeing eye dogs and they said they have no raffle Where tickets are $50 and they will never ring on a blocked number, So I got scammed they did not get any money out of me cause I rung up and cancelled card straight away. Just goes to show they are trying anything and pretending to be anyone the thing that got me was it sounded like a older lady on the phone very sad!!!

Just as well you had a Sixth Sense about this and took some action. That saved your bacon so to speak. There are many people who have doubts about a potential scam and then do nothing. Those people who do nothing allows the scammer to make a 'profit' from their activities and makes it worthwhile for scammers to keep scamming.

 

 

[Jabiru Phil]

Elderly near neibour called in this morning. Told me about a call enquiring about his computer and something about a virus in Windows.

 

He has been hassled lately by phone companies and was a bit blunt with this guy.

 

He said that not to worry as he fixed the problem himself. The caller asked what he did to fix, he replied that he Gave the Virus a flu injection, opened the windows and it flew out.

 

Still laughing.