Transcript of my call with an Indian Microsoft Support scammer.

[hoopdriver]

I don't get this 'having fun with scammers' - the poor sods making the calls are just trying to earn a living. What's wrong with 'Sorry, no thanks' then putting the phone down?

Does no-one here reflect what it is like, keeping your family fed by doing night shifts in a cubicle in a Mumbai call centre?

This is not someone trying to sell you a legitimate service in the traditional phone selling way, annoying though that may be, this is someone trying to steal access to your computer. They are committing, or attempting to commit, fraud. So no, I do not have the slightest sympathy for them. I do not have sympathy for pickpockets trying to 'earn' a living either or any other crook.

Neither do I waste my time chatting with them, or answering scammers emails. I have much better things to do.

But feeling sorry for them? You must be daft...

 

[IDMark2]

It's difficult sometimes to feel sorry for these attempted scammers but I think the human thing to do is have a script ready in response, and start it as soon as they ask a question of you, something along the lines of:
'Do you realise that you are working for a company that is attempting to extract money from people who might be gullible or technically inept, perhaps like your parents or grandparents, by being dishonest and starting with a lie.' And then end the call.
It may not work on the morally corrupt company chiefs but you might stir a conscience or two in the operators themselves. Or not. You won't have been just downright rude to another human just trying to feed their family though, probably in conditions that wouldn't allow much choice in how.

 

[ufkacbln]

Another one yesterday.....

Unfortunately I misunderstood what they were saying and thought they were talking about double glazing.

It is amazing how many references you can make to windows such as

"You wan me to open a window... OK I have done that"......and so on that they assume are computer terms

At one point was asking if they could find a security key for my '95 windows.... and at another how there was a fine Vista

Took eight minutes for them to hang up

 

[hoopdriver]

It's difficult sometimes to feel sorry for these attempted scammers but I think the human thing to do is have a script ready in response, and start it as soon as they ask a question of you, something along the lines of:
'Do you realise that you are working for a company that is attempting to extract money from people who might be gullible or technically inept, perhaps like your parents or grandparents, by being dishonest and starting with a lie.' And then end the call.
It may not work on the morally corrupt company chiefs but you might stir a conscience or two in the operators themselves. Or not. You won't have been just downright rude to another human just trying to feed their family though, probably in conditions that wouldn't allow much choice in how.

A bit naive - of course they know they are scamming. It is like asking a pickpocket, I say, do you know that is not your wallet, but mine?

 

[captain nemo1701]

My late uncle ran a driving school. He used to get annoyed with late night calls and programmed (in the 70's), his answer phone to say:

'Hello, Battersea Dogs home...'

 

[goo_mason]

I bought a great little Call Blocker gadget after years and years of spam/sales/survey calls from these types of people. I've not had a spam call get through since I bought it last year - bliss!

My favourite spam caller was the wee Scottish lass who called to tell me that I had won "a free holiday after taking part in a survey that I might not remember taking part in. All you have to do to get the free holiday is to come along to a presentation event in Livingston and pay us £80..." No matter how hard I tried, she couldn't understand that it wasn't a free holiday if they wanted me to pay them for it. Needless to say I declined her offer and eventually hung up.

 

[mr_cellophane]

If I get phishing emails with working links I type in random numbers for the account, PIN and password then imagine someone trying to hack into "my" bank account using rubbish data.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

If I get phishing emails with working links I type in random numbers for the account, PIN and password then imagine someone trying to hack into "my" bank account using rubbish data.

the only thing that does is confirm your email address is valid making it more valuable to see to send you more phishing emails...

 

[welsh dragon]

I had a phone call about 20 minutes ago from a young man named David which I found rather odd because he had a very strong Indian accent. He told me that they were receiving error messages from my computer.

Needless to say, I put the phone down. In fact I slammed the phone down. fffs

 

[hoopdriver]

the only thing that does is confirm your email address is valid making it more valuable to see to send you more phishing emails...

Yup

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I too have had fun with these scammers, I usually ask were they are calling from, and ask what the weather is like today, their answers are funny, obviously read straight of the weather forecast mentioning wind speed & precipitation

This guy decided to see what happened if he played along.

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-04/11/malwarebytes

Wow.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I don't get this 'having fun with scammers' - the poor sods making the calls are just trying to earn a living. What's wrong with 'Sorry, no thanks' then putting the phone down?

Does no-one here reflect what it is like, keeping your family fed by doing night shifts in a cubicle in a Mumbai call centre?

Yes I do, unless it's a clearly criminal motive for contacting me.

 

[snorri]

I don't get this 'having fun with scammers' - the poor sods making the calls are just trying to earn a living. What's wrong with 'Sorry, no thanks' then putting the phone down?
Does no-one here reflect what it is like, keeping your family fed by doing night shifts in a cubicle in a Mumbai call centre?

Perhaps you have not had as many calls as some on here?
I have thought about the issues you raise and have never been rude to the callers who I believe may even be unaware that they are part of a scam. They have been politely informed that their calls cause me considerable inconvenience, that I will never use the services of their company, and I would be very grateful if they would remove my number from their calling list. However, the calls continue and every now and again I feel quite justified in having some fun at their expense.

 

[IDMark2]

A bit naive - of course they know they are scamming. It is like asking a pickpocket, I say, do you know that is not your wallet, but mine?

Errr..naive how? Probably the callers are the naive ones. They are told to follow a script when someone answers to get them to buy 'the product'. Like the one milllion UK residents with a similar job except without the benefit of a Welfare state as a safety net. You may find that morals are harder to maintain when faced with a family to feed. Yes, we know it's a scam, they might know it's a scam, I prefer not to assume it's the caller themselves that is responsible for the call and appeal to their humanity before hanging up, no harm done with my method or yours.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

After getting a bit of an ear bashing from HWMBO for my language to one of these *****s I have reverted to the old way--When I get the call I say " just a minute I'll get my Dad" and lay the handset down for a few minutes before hanging up

Only really works if you sound young enough, although I do like the irony if you don't!!