Survey Reveals Extent of Emerging Internet Phone Scam

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While I know you guys would never fall for something like this, we all know someone that would. Make sure you spread the word and pass this link on to your non-tech savvy friends and family members.

The scam works by criminals posing as computer security engineers and calling people at home to tell them they are at risk of a computer security threat. The scammers tell their victims they are providing free security checks and add authenticity by claiming to represent legitimate companies and using telephone directories to refer to their victims by name.
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who even answers the phone when it is out of their area code? if i dont know the area code, i dont answer.

first!!!
 
tricky0502 said:
who even answers the phone when it is out of their area code? if i dont know the area code, i dont answer.

first!!!
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Yeah, I have become somewhat like that. Though greater Los Angeles has so many damn area codes now that it's a bit of a hit or miss proposition nowadays.
 
I posted a warning about this months ago on Warrior Forum, when they first tried me.

I almost fell for it, except the 'chat software' they wanted me to run was not anything I recognized (just hit right click and select 'properties'), so I got them off the phone, and analyzed it and found it to be some really nasty backdoor software.

The phone call is extremely hard sell, and I had just gotten off of work and heard the phone ringing as I was entering my front door. It's easy for me to imagine people getting bit by this shit...especially if they catch you off guard.
 
By all coincidences, I was at my mom's a few weeks ago when someone tried to scam her this way. After hearing her conversation I just took the phone from her and hung up. If I wasnt there I know she would never hand out her credit card info but she might have given that guy access to her computer.
 
I've had 3 customers in the last few weeks describe having someone call them with this scam.

Freaky as hell.
 
tricky0502 said:
who even answers the phone when it is out of their area code? if i dont know the area code, i dont answer.

first!!!
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This relies on using good, old fashioned, Common Sense. Sadly, common sense is in short supply these days. There will always be people who fall for these lame scams.
Those of us who frequent tech sites and forums already know this kind of stuff, but mabye this can serve as a reminder to inform our "not-so-computer-savvy" friends/family/kids about this sort of stuff. ;)
 
Good luck to them..... Dtsing people for legitimate reasons is hard enough lol.
 
I get these calls in australia even went as far as stringing them along for an hour while I was playing some mmo (not wow).
Used hands free so they could hear me typing as well thinking you beauty we have one hooked.
Eventually the MMO was over so I hung up, they rang back and I said nope don't own a computer, oh oh ok bye :D:D

Damn idiots but they sucker too many people in I am sure !!!
 
tricky0502 said:
who even answers the phone when it is out of their area code? if i dont know the area code, i dont answer.

first!!!
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How is that any defense? Scammers will never have a area code matching yours?

If I was scamming, the first thing I would do is get an internet phone service with area code I am targeting.
 
Snowdog said:
How is that any defense? Scammers will never have a area code matching yours?

If I was scamming, the first thing I would do is get an internet phone service with area code I am targeting.
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then maybe i would answer.
 
I cant understand why someone without IT experience would fall for these calls. I mean really. If there was some plumber "service" that was calling me to run some kind of check on my house plumbing, I would tell them to get stuffed. Clearly not the same thing, but just as ridiculous.
 
This has been happening in Scotland/Uk for some time now, never had it happen to me since my phone number is Ex Directory = isnt in the phone book, but it did happen to a friend of mine who doesnt :| doesnt own a computer, they called him to tell him that his pc was infected and that for X amount of money they would fix it for him, he told them that he never had a computer and they hung up.

He said it was someone with an Indian accent, but that could imply anyone from that region.
 
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