Beware of this scam but you can have fun with them too.

[piersa]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/mar/01/microsoft-virus-scam-continues

They are vermin but I get a small amount of pleasure from costing them money calling me from India. I have been called several times and so far, the record for keeping them hanging on the phone is 25 minutes.

 

[Hillian1]

I'm not sure if it's true but have been told that a sharp blow of a whistle down the phone will burst the eardrum of the scammer.

I have my whistle ready, alas no call as yet.

 

[piersa]

I'm not sure if it's true but have been told that a sharp blow of a whistle down the phone will burst the eardrum of the scammer.

I have my whistle ready, alas no call as yet.

I'm off out to buy a whistle.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Is it possible that the callers are unknowingly scamming people or forced to do so by gangs?

 

[L2MidgetGem B.H.A Seagull]

I play them like a fiddle for about 45 minutes and then break their heart by telling them I use Linux. Works a treat everytime

 

[Vatican Citys No.2 Keeper]

Yep had them try it on me couple of months ago. Knew laptops in the house were fine so decided to play him by asking what the make of the laptop was and when the chap couldn't answer and tried to get off the subject I told him where to go! May take the whistle approach if it happens again though, seems much more fun!

 

[piersa]

I play them like a fiddle for about 45 minutes and then break their heart by telling them I use Linux. Works a treat everytime

that's funny but probably lost on them.

 

[clippedgull]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2011/mar/01/microsoft-virus-scam-continues

They are vermin but I get a small amount of pleasure from costing them money calling me from India. I have been called several times and so far, the record for keeping them hanging on the phone is 25 minutes.

It costs fractions of a penny to call Internationally, so you are really not costing them anything but their inability to scam someone else, which in itself is worthy.

 

[piersa]

It costs fractions of a penny to call Internationally, so you are really not costing them anything but their inability to scam someone else, which in itself is worthy.

You have burst my bubble! As you say, at least their time is wasted.

 

[Official Old Man]

Just got a call this morning. Number came up as 999xxxxxx which alerted me straight away to some con call. Sat for a few minutes wasting their time but had to leave for work. Should have left the phone line open.

 

[tinx]

My best result so far is four different people trying to talk me through all the problems I had, I even got as far as them quoting me to fix my problems on Windows. ALmost an hour later and at which point I revealed my Mac didn't have the problems. At which point "Dave" suddenly started shouting in Indian at me and finished the call calling me a F**ing B*stard and hung up.

 

[Hillian1]

Is it possible that the callers are unknowingly scamming people or forced to do so by gangs?

Yes it is BOF, but highly doubtful according to most stuff written on this subject.

I'll take the risk.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I'm bored of playing games with them. I think we would all prefer not to get these calls in the first place. What I try and do is get information out of them on how they got my number in the first place.

Companies or individuals in this country are obviously selling on our telephone numbers without our consent. Even if your registered with the TPS they can still call you.

Rules need to change and we should be able to remove our names and numbers from their lists, and these foreign call centres should be fined. They are a pain in the a^&e

 

[amexee]

Rape alarm might hurt a touch

 

[greyseagull]

The last time they called I said (and I'm not kidding): I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

They hung up.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

The last time they called I said (and I'm not kidding): I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

They hung up.

Brilliant! In a Liam Neeson mutter too I hope!

 

[brakespear]

I'm not sure if it's true but have been told that a sharp blow of a whistle down the phone will burst the eardrum of the scammer.

I have my whistle ready, alas no call as yet.

Just for wasting a small amount of your time?

 

[Cian]

These became basically the only thing I ever got calls on my landline for. Used to enjoy telling them to wait while I started the PC and see how long it took till they disconnected but since I moved house (in November) I've not reattached the phone yet.

 

[Hillian1]

Just for wasting a small amount of your time?

No, for attempting to scam people out of money.

 

[brakespear]

No, for attempting to scam people out of money.

Apologies, I was having one of those days and lost track of what the thread was about