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theweaselkingI had a dude phone me "from my computer's service center" to tell me that the last time I went online I got a virus and he was calling to help me with that.
I asked him "I'm sorry, what company did you say you worked for?", he said "HP", and I said "well, then, this sounds important. What do I need to do?"
And he started on a spiel of needing me to go to my computer and turn it on and I said "I'm already there, what's the next step?"
And he hung up.
I think he figured out that perhaps I was not the mark he was looking for.
Which is sad. Next time I will go slower.
I asked him "I'm sorry, what company did you say you worked for?", he said "HP", and I said "well, then, this sounds important. What do I need to do?"
And he started on a spiel of needing me to go to my computer and turn it on and I said "I'm already there, what's the next step?"
And he hung up.
I think he figured out that perhaps I was not the mark he was looking for.
Which is sad. Next time I will go slower.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-13 07:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2011-09-13 09:41 pm (UTC)Anbd then, when they're done, to remember: If they did it in that movie, it's impossible.
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Date: 2011-09-13 10:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2011-09-14 03:52 pm (UTC)We have scammers in our neighborhood that come around every once in awhile, one guy's thing is a family member dying. The scammer himself is black and preys upon well meaning but clueless white people who are new to the neighborhood and want to appear compassionate/open-minded/non-racist. His elaborate stories about how yet another family member dying and he needs money to get to the funeral would be amusing except for how often they actually /work/.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-14 07:20 am (UTC)(Sysadmin and all-around computer repair tech by trade. With added bonus of female.)
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Date: 2011-09-14 11:57 am (UTC)(Sadly, I think he'd give up and hang up if I started being *too useless*, too. It doesn't matter if he will never ever manage to clean the infection - if you're making 40 calls an hour and hoping to get 5 suckers an hour, you can't spend 15 minutes walking Grandpa Joe through opening IE.)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-14 01:10 pm (UTC)"And now I open the internet, right? The blue e on my computer?"
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Date: 2011-09-14 01:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-14 01:49 pm (UTC)One did manage to string the guy along for around 15 minutes, though. I think I would have cracked up long before then.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-15 12:45 am (UTC)I spoke to Telstra about it later and they said that even though it is fun to lead them on and on to waste their time, it will only encourage them. They said the best results are obtained just by hanging up.
The fellow I spoke to said that even if you lead them on, that causes them to increase the frequency of their calls, until they're calling you in the middle of the night.
So I just hung up on the last one and haven't had a call from them since.
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/834379
(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-15 12:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-15 01:07 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-09-23 08:25 pm (UTC)