Windows phone scam back again.

[Arthur]

"I am calling you from Windows": A tech support scammer dials Ars Technica

[AMLinington]

That was amazing. It was exactly what I experienced up the point where I called them on it. I did in fact tell them that I was running Linux, but they said my BT line (I'm with Virgin Media) had been 'reporting' viruses from a windows box... When I told them I knew they were scammers and wasn't going to fall for it the conversation became very nasty. I tried to hang up. Several times in fact, but he wouldn't terminate the call his end so my phone line was kept busy. I couldn't call out, couldn't end the call, anything. He'd ring back and shout at me through my answering machine. When I turned the answering machine function off, he'd just ring repeatedly. In the end I disconnected my phone at the wall. Which wasn't ideal as I was waiting for another call from my GP over something else.

 

I'd recommend not bothering to engage them. Inform them they have the wrong number and hang up. Virgin were very unhelpful when I asked them to ban the 'private caller' number - they said they can either ban ALL 'private' numbers - which would include my employer as their calls come through as 'Private number' or none at all... Well I can't have my employer banned from phoning me can I?

 

When I phoned them to report the call I used their lack of help to get me a free number change. So far *touches wood* I've not had any marketing calls at all. I pity the next person to be given that number. I told Virgin to blacklist it as unusable but they said they couldn't do that. So bascially the problem is going to be bounced around causing people distress and potentially scamming some IT illiterate and costing people money to change their number. Great service Virgin, really great.

[cpjitservices]

That was amazing. It was exactly what I experienced up the point where I called them on it. I did in fact tell them that I was running Linux, but they said my BT line (I'm with Virgin Media) had been 'reporting' viruses from a windows box... When I told them I knew they were scammers and wasn't going to fall for it the conversation became very nasty. I tried to hang up. Several times in fact, but he wouldn't terminate the call his end so my phone line was kept busy. I couldn't call out, couldn't end the call, anything. He'd ring back and shout at me through my answering machine. When I turned the answering machine function off, he'd just ring repeatedly. In the end I disconnected my phone at the wall. Which wasn't ideal as I was waiting for another call from my GP over something else.

 

I'd recommend not bothering to engage them. Inform them they have the wrong number and hang up. Virgin were very unhelpful when I asked them to ban the 'private caller' number - they said they can either ban ALL 'private' numbers - which would include my employer as their calls come through as 'Private number' or none at all... Well I can't have my employer banned from phoning me can I?

 

When I phoned them to report the call I used their lack of help to get me a free number change. So far *touches wood* I've not had any marketing calls at all. I pity the next person to be given that number. I told Virgin to blacklist it as unusable but they said they couldn't do that. So bascially the problem is going to be bounced around causing people distress and potentially scamming some IT illiterate and costing people money to change their number. Great service Virgin, really great.

 

Exactly the same with me I told them I run Linux in my house and nothing was running Windows and that I was indeed also a Microsoft Systems Manager for an ISP - it didn't go down too well. All I get was a load of abuse on the phone and like you say wouldn't hang up the call.

 

Wasn't a nice person to deal with, next time I'm going to let them into a VM let them remote in and trace there every move and even trace their IP.

 

Hopefully we will catch them one day.