Phone call re. my computer. Scam.

Pyxis

I have just had my first call on my landline trying the 'something wrong with your computer' scam.
Their tel no. (came up on my caller display).......02031988112 (When I googled it, it came up as a scam number).

The landline they phoned is the phone line my router is connected to.
I have only an iPad Air, no smart phone or desktop computer.

Can these scammers get access to my iPad data through the landline alone? (I hung up, didn't say a word).
Am worried, as I read that some people were told what their computer's number was......how can they know that?

Is there anything I should be doing?

bsod

no

just forget about it, nothing to worry about

Pyxis

Oh, thanks. I was really worried.

AndyPix

They can get access to no information whatsoever, without first tricking you into downloading and installing software and then using it to allow an outside connection into your machine.

If you don't engage with them then they cant do this.

It isn't magic, they cant just hack you by phoning you.

You have done the right thing, just hang up on these gobsh1tes

HappyMJ

Pyxis wrote: »

I have just had my first call on my landline trying the 'something wrong with your computer' scam.
Tel no. 02031988112.

This is,the phone line my router is connected to.
I have only an iPad Air, no smart phone or desktop computer.

Can these scammers get access to my iPad data through the landline alone? (I hung up, didn't say a word).
Am worried, as I read that some people were told what their computer's number was......how can they know that?

Is there anything I should be doing?

Exactly what you did....nothing.

They just want money. They want your debit card details and they take the money straight from your account for a useless service. They claim you have viruses yet you don't. I've let them connect to one of my spare machines before and it's just an ordinary scam. They don't go looking for personal data. Nothing to worry about. Don't ever let them connect and you'll be fine.

Oblivion

Pyxis, I would suggest you edit your first post to delete the phone number. :cool:

bsod

If everyone did the same as you, the scam would die overnight.

There should be a tv advertising or word of mouth campaign to kill it once and for all.

--

the phone number is useful for others searching the same issue

Pyxis

Oblivion wrote: »

Pyxis, I would suggest you edit your first post to delete the phone number. :cool:

Have done so. I put it on to warn people, as when I googled it, it came up with lots of people saying it was a scam.

Thanks for all the reassurance, folks. :A

bsod

I'm guessing oblivion thought it was your home number rather than the scammers caller id (which can be faked). The numbers scammers use should be spread widely to help others

Pyxis

bsod wrote: »

I'm guessing oblivion thought it was your home number rather than the scammers caller id (which can be faked). The numbers scammers use should be spread widely to help others

I did wonder about that, after I'd done it!

No, I'd never put my own number on a public forum! Such strange people as you get on them! :rotfl:

Ok, I'll put it back on!

By the way, the google entry of the number had people decrying it as a scam, but at the bottom was an offer of a blocking App, "just click on here."
I didn't, but went to the App Store to see what they had, and there weren't any. Am wondering whether that was a way of trying to get you to download their software? (I see evil everywhere these days!)

bsod

there is evil everywhere it seems nowadays, the internet and cheap connectivity has enabled it to spread fast in a variety of ways.

an ipad app can't block a phone call to your house.

being wary of what you click on is as important as ignoring cold callers, there are adverts all over the web serving up malicious content whilst pretending to be something useful, but the ipad is less prone to it's ill effects compared to a pc.

You may have found that the scammer wouldn't have had a script prepared for your ipad, so they may have hung up on you if it had gone that far.