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[greek_jester]

Sorry about this (very off topic) but I've just had a very annoying phone call.

Got a call from someone just now who could not understand why I didn't want them to connect up to my computer to clear the malware from my computer. Rather firmly got rid of him, especially since he contacted me from America & I live in the UK!

One thing that's bugging me, though, is that he asked me to go into 'event viewer' & there were various warnings & errors. Is there anyone who knows Windows 7 who could PM me & let me know what would be a bad thing, & what doesn't need worrying about? I really can't afford to take my computer to the shop at the moment if there's no reason to.

[TelephoneAngel]

That's a scam whereby they take control of the computer by remote and look at your banking details.

[rvdammit]

OR install a bot net node, or any other form of nastyness.

[greek_jester]

Thanks. Thought it was. But you know how you get one of those little niggles in the back of your head, like 'did I switch off the hob before I left the house?' Anyway, I rather gave him the run-around. I don't think he liked me!

First off, I refused to give my name. Wanted to know what name was on file (which, if they were a valid Microsoft rep, they'd have from my licensing info). Apparently I'm a man called Carl. At this point I decided he must be a scammer, so I started talking in circles (dragged it out over half an hour - go me!)

Next I wanted his contact details. He gave me an American number & an e-mail address. When I asked for the UK branch address & phone number, he said that an irate customer had got them shut down for not being satisfied with the work done on the computer, & that they were currently looking for another site. Really? Did he honestly expect me to believe this?

My next trick was to ask for the company number (something you have to have if you're not a sole trader/partnership with a base in the UK). When he tried to say that he didn't have one, I pointed out that if he had a base in the UK, & was paying tax in the UK, & he wasn't a sole trader/partnership (which he'd already confirmed), he had to be registered at Companies House & file annual accounts. I'm an accounts clerk. We know these things. When he challenged me about this, I looked up Microsoft's UK branch details:

http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/06...05/compdetails

This made him pause for a moment. I was quite impressed. In the meantime, I opened another tab & looked up his business info. Oh look, there's no mention of the UK on the website. USA & Australia, but no UK.

Talked in circles for a while after that, before finally getting fed up, informing him that I would be taking my computer to my local computer shop, which the business I work for (which was established in 1858) has been dealing with for the last 20 years, is the shop of choice for most of our non-Apple employees, & offers a nice discount for employees where I work. He said that he'd be cheaper. I pointed out that they don't charge for looking at the computer, so turning it on & checking event viewer would only cost me 20 minutes out of my hour's lunch break (they are just a few doors down from us). He huffed & hung up

[It's me]

Ummm... if some person phones you out of the blue -- some person who you have never had any dealings with -- and wants to poke through your personal stuff: It's a scam. Always, always, always!

[greek_jester]

Ummm... if some person phones you out of the blue -- some person who you have never had any dealings with -- and wants to poke through your personal stuff: It's a scam. Always, always, always!

Got that, thanks. It was just that nasty little 'did I leave the gas on?' feeling, even though you know damn well you turned it off before you left.

[Cazzi]

I've heard of a couple of people that have had similar calls and have "played" with the spammer resulting is said spammer swearing at them for wasting his time before slamming the phone down

Like they didn't really want to get hold of the persons credit card details to fleece them at all

I want to play with one too

[Mytical]

I am guilty of that, giving a spammer the run around. I 'won' a lottery that I had never entered (yeah ok). Gave them the run around for weeks, stringing them along. Finally got to the 'you have to send x amount to retrieve your winnings.' laughed so hard I nearly choked..they were not amused.