6 ms·

Had it happen to many people I know. They only were successful with one person I know - they replaced her OEM Windows XP license with a pirated/fake one...then

Had it happen to many people I know. They only were successful with one person I know - they replaced her OEM Windows XP license with a pirated/fake one...then stole the original perhaps? Can't imagine how useful an OEM XP license to a Acer POS netbook would be valuable. If you get one of these calls, just screw with them - pretend you are following their instructions for as long as possible before saying "Ubuntu doesn't have that."

ZoFreX 14y ago
It seems they have gotten wise to this recently, I've heard a few stories about them being quite nasty if you do this. Anecdotally, this was on my Facebook feed yesterday (NSFW language): http://i.imgur.com/buv06.png http://i.imgur.com/buv06.png
Deestan 14y ago
> pretend you are following their instructions for as long as possible It's not just fun, it's a very responsible thing to do. Every minute they spend with you is a minute they don't spend screwing over someone else. But don't end with "Ubuntu doesn't have that" or "I only have a Mac, sorry" or some other snarky comment. Just fake stupidity until they give up. They are constantly tuning their scams based on successful and unsuccesful cons, and if they realize you're screwing with them they'll just filter you out of that. Or worse, they'll realize that "calling from the windows" tipped you off and change it to "Microsoft Support Associate" or something. If you instead come across as someone who believes the "calling from windows" bit, but for some reason aren't able to open the remote control software ("i try to download it but the screen moves?" or "when i click RUN, it says dotnet could not complete the operation?"), you will reinforce the stupid parts of the scam, and possibly have them waste time trying to research the technical difficulty you "experienced".
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  I wonder why they are not also targeting Macs? I guess they are trying to get money out of people and Mac users probably have more money (on a broad average). I suppose they say they are calling from "Windows Support" but would it be a far stretch to also claim to represent someone from Apple? Or put someone else on the line under the premise of transferring you to Apple.
  - Deestan 14y ago
    > Mac users probably have more money (on a broad average). I sadly suspect this is part of the reason. They have more money and chose a Mac because they are educated and can get a decent salary and mentally independent enough to make a conscious purchasing decision. If you just obediently go with what the trustworthy computer salesman pushes at you, you end up with a Windows computer. And obedient trusting people are what the scammers want to target.
    - untog 14y ago
      They have more money and chose a Mac because they are educated and can get a decent salary and mentally independent enough to make a conscious purchasing decision. I'm going to have to disagree with that. I know plenty of people (with money, yes) that want to "get a Mac". There's no mentally independent purchasing decision, it's just what other people have, and they look cool. As it happens, it's a good choice. But it could easily not be, and they'd still do it.
      - jiggy2011 14y ago
        Perhaps even knowing enough to discern between a Mac and PC is enough to make them a poor mark. Notice that they are saying "Windows support" not "Microsoft Support", not knowing that Windows is a product from Microsoft would suggest they are looking for people with a very low level of knowledge. I'm guessing retired people who have a good pension coming in. OTOH that must put an upper limit to the amount people are willing to spend to get their computers back from the scammers. If you only paid $300 for a PC from wallmart you won't pay more than that surely.
        bradleyland 14y ago
        > Notice that they are saying "Windows support" not "Microsoft Support", not knowing that Windows is a product from Microsoft would suggest they are looking for people with a very low level of knowledge. They do this to avoid being cornered. On one occasion, when screwing with one of the callers, I had a little rage fit accusing them of breaking all kinds of laws. The "manager" informed me that "We never claimed that we were calling from Microsoft, we're calling from Windows Tech Support, which is the name of our company." The agents are very careful not to say they're calling from Microsoft. I suspect that this is some attempt at circumventing exposure to local fraud laws wherever they are based. I'm not saying it will be effective, mind you; just that I suspect that's why.
DLarsen 14y ago
I got a call once. They told me that basic Windows Services were viruses. They were determined to get remote access to my machine to "fix" things. It ended with the "supervisor" getting upset that I was wasting his time and asking me if I knew how to f--- myself.
- StavrosK 14y ago
  It sounds like something most people figure out at some point in their teens, I wonder why he was asking.

ZoFreX 14y ago

It seems they have gotten wise to this recently, I've heard a few stories about them being quite nasty if you do this. Anecdotally, this was on my Facebook feed yesterday (NSFW language): http://i.imgur.com/buv06.png http://i.imgur.com/buv06.png

Deestan 14y ago

> pretend you are following their instructions for as long as possible It's not just fun, it's a very responsible thing to do. Every minute they spend with you is a minute they don't spend screwing over someone else. But don't end with "Ubuntu doesn't have that" or "I only have a Mac, sorry" or some other snarky comment. Just fake stupidity until they give up. They are constantly tuning their scams based on successful and unsuccesful cons, and if they realize you're screwing with them they'll just filter you out of that. Or worse, they'll realize that "calling from the windows" tipped you off and change it to "Microsoft Support Associate" or something. If you instead come across as someone who believes the "calling from windows" bit, but for some reason aren't able to open the remote control software ("i try to download it but the screen moves?" or "when i click RUN, it says dotnet could not complete the operation?"), you will reinforce the stupid parts of the scam, and possibly have them waste time trying to research the technical difficulty you "experienced".

jiggy2011 14y ago
I wonder why they are not also targeting Macs? I guess they are trying to get money out of people and Mac users probably have more money (on a broad average). I suppose they say they are calling from "Windows Support" but would it be a far stretch to also claim to represent someone from Apple? Or put someone else on the line under the premise of transferring you to Apple.
- Deestan 14y ago
  > Mac users probably have more money (on a broad average). I sadly suspect this is part of the reason. They have more money and chose a Mac because they are educated and can get a decent salary and mentally independent enough to make a conscious purchasing decision. If you just obediently go with what the trustworthy computer salesman pushes at you, you end up with a Windows computer. And obedient trusting people are what the scammers want to target.
  - untog 14y ago
    They have more money and chose a Mac because they are educated and can get a decent salary and mentally independent enough to make a conscious purchasing decision. I'm going to have to disagree with that. I know plenty of people (with money, yes) that want to "get a Mac". There's no mentally independent purchasing decision, it's just what other people have, and they look cool. As it happens, it's a good choice. But it could easily not be, and they'd still do it.
    - jiggy2011 14y ago
      Perhaps even knowing enough to discern between a Mac and PC is enough to make them a poor mark. Notice that they are saying "Windows support" not "Microsoft Support", not knowing that Windows is a product from Microsoft would suggest they are looking for people with a very low level of knowledge. I'm guessing retired people who have a good pension coming in. OTOH that must put an upper limit to the amount people are willing to spend to get their computers back from the scammers. If you only paid $300 for a PC from wallmart you won't pay more than that surely.
      - bradleyland 14y ago
        > Notice that they are saying "Windows support" not "Microsoft Support", not knowing that Windows is a product from Microsoft would suggest they are looking for people with a very low level of knowledge. They do this to avoid being cornered. On one occasion, when screwing with one of the callers, I had a little rage fit accusing them of breaking all kinds of laws. The "manager" informed me that "We never claimed that we were calling from Microsoft, we're calling from Windows Tech Support, which is the name of our company." The agents are very careful not to say they're calling from Microsoft. I suspect that this is some attempt at circumventing exposure to local fraud laws wherever they are based. I'm not saying it will be effective, mind you; just that I suspect that's why.

DLarsen 14y ago

I got a call once. They told me that basic Windows Services were viruses. They were determined to get remote access to my machine to "fix" things. It ended with the "supervisor" getting upset that I was wasting his time and asking me if I knew how to f--- myself.

StavrosK 14y ago
It sounds like something most people figure out at some point in their teens, I wonder why he was asking.