Re: "Microsoft Scam" Beware

formatting link
I had the second one of these 'phone calls today. The first time I said 'Its a scam' and put the phone down, but this time when I said I knew it was a scam the Indian Lady said it wasn't. When I said it was she replied that she would contact the police with my name and address for defamation!!

My reply was that if she did I would sue her for threatening behaviour - didn't bother to wait for her reply.

Now what can I think of for next time - a chat about the weather?

Reply to
Sally Swindells
Loading thread data ...

This was my conversation with a young man:

CC: Your PC may be --- Me: I don't have a Police Constable. CC: No, your PC! Me: I STILL don't have a police constable. But I can get one if you want... CC: No, your Windows computer! Me: My windows don't have a computer... CC (slightly exasperated): No, your Personal computer! It runs Windows! Me: No it doesn't! CC: Oh... Me: Good bye! CC: But - ! Me: I don't have a goat, either... CLICK! Brrrrr...

The joys of MacOSX. :)

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

I have had two of these calls and I just say I am 80 years old and do not have a computer. They then say they are sorry to trouble me. I have instructed DH to say the same since he does not know how to switch one on but is apt to say " My wife has one". I told him to say there is none in the house. It is only a little white lie since I have two PC's and a Ipad plus two printers.

Reply to
Shirley Shone

Kate,

Thanks for the laugh - your story is hilarious!

Donna in Idaho

Reply to
Donna

Donna, never forget that I am the mad ole bat that told the double glazing people that I didn't have any windows as I lived in the garden shed! They didn't call back for several years after that one. :D

Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

We have received three of these call in the past month. Each time my DH and I have led them on right to the bit where they ask for remote access then tell them we don't have a computer with a window and hang up. The third caller rang back and said I was not "a nice lady for leading him on". I nearly wet my pants laughing.

Di

Reply to
Di Maloney

Reply to
caminauck

I either do Dotty Ole Bat at them, like this, or listen is silence until they run down, then ask them to repeat everything... And again... Eventually they get bored and go away.

The double glazing sales droids got it in the neck the day I had five calls from different companies. The first four went a bit like this:

CC: I'd like to talk to you about windows... Me: It's OK, I have a complete set, thank you. CC: We have some special offers on at the moment. If you order six new - Me: Why would I need six new windows? CC: Long spiel about their fab new windows... Me: Do they come with wooden frames? CC: Oh, no! They are [all new spiffy plastic and steel crap] ME: But you still haven't told me why I need to buy SIX... CC: That's what our special offer is for. Me: But what happens if I need five? Or 10? Can I get six of them at the special offer price, and the rest at the ordinary price? Or do they all come at the special price? CC: Um... Me: And as I live in a house that has certain restrictions on what I can do to it*, can you offer these windows in a wooden frame? CC: Er... Me: Because if not, I can't use your service. CC: Oh. I don't think we can help you. Me: OK, then please take me off your list of potential customers. And please be assured that when I DO want new windows, I'll be calling round for quotes. As I don't deal with companies that resort to cold calling, yours will not be called. Good bye.

By the time the fifth called with the same round of non-help, I was fed up and told them straight: No, I live in the garden shed. It doesn't have any windows!

No more window sales droids for several years!

*It does. I can't build anything more than three feet high (eg a garden wall) in front of the building line. Nothing about windows at all!
Reply to
Kate XXXXXX

This is the reply DS sent me. He works in computers for a firm that delevops really big commercial systems.

'We get these calls all the time? you get good fun out of them by pretending to be stupid?

Scammer : - ?please press the start button? Me : - ?ok I have done that? Scammer : - ?great so what does it say at the bottom of the screen now?? Me: - It says ?Sony? Scammer : - ?no,no, what does it say on the actual display? Me : - ?nothing, the computer is now turned off? Scammer : - ?but you just pressed the start button? Me : - ?yes, my start button is on the main box, pressing it again turns the computer off? ??? Scammer : - ?please type www.blahblahblah into your browser? Me :- so that is 6 letter u?s??? Scammer : no, I mean whiskey whiskey whiskey! Me :- How are you spelling whiskey?

You can go on for hours and it really is amazing the patience some of these people have.. we have already discussed themes for the next calls

- try chatting them up, a marriage proposal, pretend stutter, suffer a medical emergency while on the phone to them, burst into tears etc etc etc.

Wasting their time is what they hate the most, it costs the scammers money and the call-centre staff get paid on their success rates.. so the longer you keep them on the phone the better.'

I think next time I will ask them which computer it is with the virus - we have the one in the Study and a laptop each. That seems an opening which could be quite interesting, especially if they say all of them and I have to go from room to room.

I'm almost h>

formatting link

Reply to
Sally Swindells

You all are having so much fun and I feel so left out. I've been ready and the phone doesn't ring from Microsoft. Except for the credit card companies that call to reduce my interest rate. I don't pay interest on my credit cards. As soon as a bill comes in, I write a check and run hard taking a short-cut through the Swamp to catch the mail carrier at the next bend to send it in. And there's the calls from assorted political candidates and parties and even the state police benevolent fund. Mississippi doesn't have state police. Sometimes I answer: Switchboard, what extension please? They are bumfuzzled. Sometimes I answer: Bubba's Barbeque (that's always fun) Sometimes they ask: May I speak with Mr. Esther. I say: no and 'no' to anything else they ask. (more fun) This afternoon I got a call from my neighbor's Yorkie. She sat on the phone and somehow her bum pressed 'redial'. I could hear neighbor talking, door opening, dinger going off because door was open . . . obviously nobody knew I was 'on' the phone. Finally I picked up my Boy Scout whistle and blew hard. I'm betting none of you ever were called by a quite clever 5 pound pup. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

The best revenge is to put the phone down quietly and walk away. Let them g= o on and on and on and on and .... without you. They'll get the hint and go= away. For that call. On repeat calls, I highly advise going along with it = for about half a sentence and then screaming 'Oh no!!! The kitchen is on fi= re!!!!! Throw the phone and make lots of loud screaming, banging sounds. Th= en press the 'off' button quietly. They will not call back. Guaranteed.

Sunny

Reply to
Sunny

I often have great fun...

If they ask for Mr. Kate... I'll say he is unavailable. They'll ask when would be a good time to call. I'll tell them I don't know. He ran off with his secretary last Thursday after cleaning out all our bank accounts. I tell them if they find him to let me know because I want just 5 minutes with him behind a closed door! Lorena Bobbitt would have nothing on me... and I continue ranting about his "ho" of a secretary until they eventually hang up on me.

I've also played the "we buried him yesterday story" or if I say he his unavailable and they ask if I am Mrs. Kate... I say no -- I'm his mistress or his escort/hooker and he 's in the bathroom getting naked -- would they like to wait for him.....

Whatever warped story I think of on the spur of the moment... you just gotta keep going and barely let the get a word in... and then they get to hang up on you! For some reason that is even more satisfying then when I hang up on them!

My reply was that if she did I would sue her for threatening behaviour - didn't bother to wait for her reply.

Now what can I think of for next time - a chat about the weather?

Reply to
Kate in MI

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.