# Scam Phone Calls



## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Not sure if this is the right place for this.

Scam 'Windows Company' phone calls. I finally answered one that has being trying to QSO for a few days now. The number they use is 01340 075 493. It is the usual sub-continent accent claiming I have a problem. I said I didn't have a computer so this must be a scam and hung up. 

Just be aware guys !

David


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

I have an answer phone. What I do is listen to some of the message then lift the handset then replace it when I realise what it is. On my return home after going about my business I check to see if the light is flashing telling me there is a message. I don't press play, I lift the handset then dial 1471, if I don't recognise the number I replace the handset and delete the message.


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## jimg0nxx (Sep 1, 2005)

Hi David,
This is one of many 01340 numbers used by the Windows scammers. The actual exchange for that number is in Craigellachie, Banffshire, Scotland. I am sure that no one in Craigellachie has any idea of what is going on. For sport I sometimes play along with these individuals, wasting their time until they give up.

Jim


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## jimg0nxx (Sep 1, 2005)

To check numbers try this webpage:-
http://who-called.co.uk/Number/01340075493


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## slick (Mar 31, 2006)

All,
The ACME Thunderer is a useful addition to my Armoury....
Yours aye,

slick


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## Satanic Mechanic (Feb 23, 2009)

I have a huge range of tactics

Acting insane - "I have pet bat that I take out at night"/ " I've just murdered my wife is this going to take long'
Asking totally irrelevant questions " now my computer is purple does that make a difference'
Frantically shouting 'doctor is that you - she isnt breathing"
Stringing them along
Seriously asking 'how did you get this classified number, we've got your location'

There's loads more just depends on my mood


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## TOM ALEXANDER (Dec 24, 2008)

Satanic Mechanic said:


> I have a huge range of tactics
> 
> Acting insane - "I have pet bat that I take out at night"/ " I've just murdered my wife is this going to take long'
> Asking totally irrelevant questions " now my computer is purple does that make a difference'
> ...


Ah! You want to clean my Windows -- do you do the insides as well?

I don't have a computer - I use an Abacus -- the telling answer "Is that the brand of your computer?"


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## spongebob (Dec 11, 2007)

I usually say "Speak English" , they say "I am speaking English", I raise my voice and repeat myself and. They seem to go away soon after that.

Bob


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## Somerton (Oct 24, 2008)

I had these calls 4 times . Each time I dialled 1471 took a note of the same number . At the 4 th call I said that I had given it to the PSNI CYBER UNIT . I have had no more .


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

Like SM, there are various responses depending on my mood:

The Worzel Gummage approach - Ohh a pooter I think we have one of them somewhere but it don't work the windows, I just use a handle to open them. 

or, just yesterday:
Where are you calling from?
This is Microsoft HQ in London.
London eh? Last meeting I went to was in Reading
..........(dialing tone)


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## Qu1ckn1ck (Aug 1, 2014)

Got so fed up with nuisance calls that I recently purchased a BT Nuisance Call Blocker phone. Seems to work well so far.


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## George.GM (Feb 8, 2006)

Get yourselves a BT Call Guardian.
Haven't had a nuisance call since I installed it a couple of years ago.
About forty quid from Amazon


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## ART6 (Sep 14, 2010)

I haven't received one of these call for some time now -- until yesterday when someone with a fractured accent called "Jane" tried to interest my company in a web site design offer, so it seems that they are trying a new tactic to replace the "Fix Windows" offer. Not really attractive to me since my son runs a substantial graphic design business that designs web sites for blue chip clients, and could prepare one for me if I so wished -- and without access to my computer!


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

It is all very well establishing a new market for call blocking. Most service providers however are allowing connections to be completed with callers who do not comply with ITU requirements for the CLI (ITU is UN, we haven't decided to leave that too have we?).

As the service providers are also engaged in selling the blocking service/equipment it is something of a benefit for them to continue doing so. In this case such behaviour, clearly an avoidable nuisance, should constitute a civil tort.

(Barring callers with non-compliant CLIs will not stop all nuisance calls but it would be a fairly good start and one they should never not have done where the exchange permitted).


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

George.GM said:


> Get yourselves a BT Call Guardian.
> Haven't had a nuisance call since I installed it a couple of years ago.
> About forty quid from Amazon


 Do they work on KCom phones ?


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## Mayday (May 26, 2009)

I told one gentleman with an Indian sounding accent, trying to sell me some BT stuff, "I don't have a telephone".
Deathly silence then "But, but, but..."
I told him that my telephone provider was looking into it but were not having much success.
Never heard from him again.

John.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

I am afraid what I venomate down the mouthpiece would not even be permitted on Stormy Weather.

Once so effective against a ****** sounding caller that he called a second time with "You vellybastard!, vellybastard!". I didn't mind that call in the least.


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## Michael Taylor (Aug 31, 2008)

George.GM said:


> Get yourselves a BT Call Guardian.
> Haven't had a nuisance call since I installed it a couple of years ago.
> About forty quid from Amazon


Here in the States we have a real problem with these calls and no real solution. I suspect your BT system would not be allowed as so many of these calls are from politicians!


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## BobClay (Dec 14, 2007)

I usually try and sell them some Plutonium 239 (hopefully at that point a keyword trigger has has been made in a computer somewhere :sweat and with a bit of prodding I try and get him to repeat it.

A sub-continent accent talking about Plutonium 239 will with a bit of luck record his number somewhere. I tell them to forward the money to a Swiss bank account but as yet none of them have fallen for it.

But then, I'm not going to fall for their scam either. [=P]

(Mind you, if one of them takes me up on it I could be in deep sh1t.) (EEK)


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## Farmer John (Feb 22, 2012)

I had a phone call from "Microsoft", when I called him a liar I must have hit a raw nerve on a bad day, the ensuing torrent of filth and threats was quite amazing. When there was a pause, I managed to get "And your sister" in, then he was off again. I have never had that happen before, I do hope I annoyed him as much as he annoyed me.


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## 5TT (May 3, 2008)

We frequently have to deal with them here in South Africa too, I usually give them the run around when they tell me to "Click on My Computer" because our computers all run Linux.
Just lately they've taken to becoming very rude after a very short while and hanging up but I like the "Look I've just murdered my wife, will this take long?", they're getting that one next time, brilliant.

= Adrian +


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## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Michael Taylor said:


> Here in the States we have a real problem with these calls and no real solution. I suspect your BT system would not be allowed as so many of these calls are from politicians!


My state has Call blocking laws.Give the state AG the number who is calling you and they take them to court.


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

Varley said:


> I am afraid what I venomate down the mouthpiece would not even be permitted on Stormy Weather.
> 
> Once so effective against a ****** sounding caller that he called a second time with "You vellybastard!, vellybastard!". I didn't mind that call in the least.


I'm afraid this direct, unsubtle approach doesn't work; it's not good for your blood pressure, and you may find that they take special note of your number and start to pick on you because they enjoy listening to your impotent outrage.

My wife and I have had a good laugh at the comical suggestions in the earlier posts and I may decide to follow their advice in future, depending on my mood.

Yesterday I answered a call that had "INTERNATIONAL CALL" on the screen so I was 99.9% certain that it was a scam. A split second later I pressed the clear down button, so the caller would not have received any satisfaction whatever. He/she did not try again.


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## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

We old folks I know around here and me with our wired telephones use our answering machines to screen our calls. We set our machines to pick up after one ring. When calling another we identify ourselves at the beginning and if they are there they pick up or we leave a message. 

Despite being on the US Do Not Call List I used to often receive up to 20 calls per hour. I leave my phone ringer off if it is someone I know I hear them. MOST businesses give up after awhile I state this since they leave me messages swearing at me since I won't pick up and threaten to never call again. Over time my calls have tapered off yet now and then they come in one right after another. Most just hang up without leaving a message. 

Greg Hayden
Vista, CA USA


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## cueball44 (Feb 15, 2010)

kewl dude said:


> We old folks I know around here and me with our wired telephones use our answering machines to screen our calls. We set our machines to pick up after one ring. When calling another we identify ourselves at the beginning and if they are there they pick up or we leave a message.
> 
> Despite being on the US Do Not Call List I used to often receive up to 20 calls per hour. I leave my phone ringer off if it is someone I know I hear them. MOST businesses give up after awhile I state this since they leave me messages swearing at me since I won't pick up and threaten to never call again. Over time my calls have tapered off yet now and then they come in one right after another. Most just hang up without leaving a message.
> 
> ...


 My phone is on silent, no ring, I just hear the message, If I don't recognise the caller I just lift the handset then replace it, or I press play then delete as soon as the message begins, that's after I have checked the number by pressing the last call 1471 UK number. (Thumb)


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## Bob Murdoch (Dec 11, 2004)

We have Mr Microsoft here in Belgium, the usual eastern type accent and always in English. My response is to ask them if they understand English. Usually get some sort of 'I am speaking to you in English' response but I keep asking the question till they yes . Then I tell them that they will understand me when I tell them to F. off. Then hang up
Cheers Bob


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## RayL (Apr 16, 2008)

I do believe in having the capability to give 'chapter and verse' should it ever become necessary for any reason, so after such a call I usually interrogate 1471 and scribble the caller's number on a credit card-size scrap of paper, plus the time and date of the call and a very brief description of his spiel. This little docket is then chucked into a drawer with the others. I know it is unlikely that it will ever be of use, but it seems better than just letting everything go and being tongue-tied when the balloon goes up and officials want details.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I tried a BT Call Blocker phone once, but it does not work correctly if you also have a corded phone on an extension. It rings before the cordless phone and so prevents any number from being displayed. A corded speaker phone is much easier when keying in numbers for options etc. Also a cordless phone is no use in a power cut and where I am that is not unusual.

David
+
ps. the Scottish Microsoft Security Office has not called back since I said I didn't have a computer !!

+


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## expats (Mar 9, 2013)

I hope you guys do not get these 'nuisance' callers shut down....

If I'm busy, I put down the phone; if I have time to waste, stringing them along allows me a bit of humour ....

"But what if xxxxxx....." Usually prolongs the conversation


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