Indian Windows Call Centre Scam - Finally get MY call

PZH

andy2004 wrote: »

Whats the best way to stop these phone calls....

The ONLY way these calls will stop is if people realise it's a scam and stop giving them money. Trouble is - there are always people who will.

Same with SPAM emails - if they didn't return any value, then they wouldn't exist - and it doesn't matter how good your spam filter is on your email, they will still continue to be sent.

The problem is that the phone calls probably originate overseas and hence the TPS are powerless to act.

Being ex-directory does not stop random phone diallers from eventually getting your number. Even if not a random dialler, then there are probably morally corrupt companies / people who sell numbers (how else do they get peoples names as well as their numbers ?)

Figment

Rumour has it that one source of a large proportion of these lists is rogue employees at large organisations' Indian call centres.

As phoodless correctly states, the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) which is likely to be the company you were told to contact, has no jurisdiction over calls originating from outside the UK.

Of those in the UK, there are many with a blatant disregard of the TPS Code of Practice, mainly because the number of prosecutions is [STRIKE]minimal[/STRIKE] virtually non existent and the earning potential far outweighs the maximum penalty the TPS/Oftel can impose

J_B

andy2004 wrote: »

Whats the best way to stop these phone calls,

It's about the same as asking 'how can I stop criminals trying to break into my house?'

loracan1

I once had one that ended with him telling me to take my computer to a repair shop (after I'd burst into faux tears at having a virus) and another where after a few minutes of going along with his spiel, I insisted that I had neither the internet nor a phone line. I apologise for not wasting enough of their time.

flossy_splodge

Had a classic one today. Was at my (very) elderly father's house and was explaining to him to beware of what he says on the phone. Had literally just finished explaining when his phone rang and guess what? Yup it was our cousins from overseas offering to be very helpful.
Could not have made the point to my father better if I'd set it up!

gonzo127

horray i have got mine now, so far 15 mins and counting and so far they havent realised i am using linux mint muhaha


maaaged to get 40 mins out of them before the mrs told me to get of the phone because she wanted me to help with jobs, i am sure i could have strung him along for another 15 mins or so before he gave up.

and this was even having been passed onto level 2 techincal support to help with my problem because i didnt have a windows icon on my Linux system

andyproc

what would be good is if you say you will call them back and get their number. Then wait for another to phone you and ask them to call you back on the first companies number, maybe they would try to scam each other.

andyproc

another idea is to look up some expensive sex chat or advice lines and ask them to call you back on that number in half an hour, there must be some that look convincing. That will cost them money.

Chartered_Eng

Our Indian "Friends" having given up on me for some weeks (if not months) decided to see if my guard was down this afternoon. The new threat (besides them) is now hackers trying to target my computer rather than non-existent viruses. It seems that for some weeks my IP address has been targeted by hackers and this was serious.

I was naturally very alarmed by this to which he asked if my computer was on. I told him it was not. He asked me to switch it on to show me the problem. I said I could not as I did not have one. He seemed rather flummoxed by this and asked if I had I laptop. I didn't have one of those either. "But your IP address is being targeted by hackers" he again insisted. So my IP address is being spoofed I replied - silence.......followed by "Sir?" and a click and he was gone.

Old scam, new vector so be warned.

J_B

gonzo127 wrote: »

maaaged to get 40 mins out of them before the mrs told me to get of the phone because she wanted me to help with jobs

Hmm ... same here

Some folks have no 'spirit of adventure'