Scam warning...

[pidgeonpost]

I am trying to buy a bare unit Bosch GKF 12v hand router. Searches on Google produced results around £140 except for two at £74.99. Hello I thought, that sounds like a scam but one of them is near me and has a website with the unit shown at that price. I did a street view in the address and could see the shop and its landline number (the website only has a mobile). I called and the landline doesn’t exist (!) so I called the mobile. The guy answered and said he doesn’t sell Bosch but he has Makita. I said that the Bosch is on his website which surprised him as he doesn’t have a website! Phew that was close as I was going to order one last night……

We nearly came unstuck just before Christmas. Facebook was carrying ads for at least 2 clothing and outdoors kit companies. Looked totally authentic and just like the official websites of the companies concerned. Despite a whole working lifetime in IT ops and networking I was pretty convinced this was on the level. Was almost on the point of ordering a couple of things until I checked the reviews and went direct to the company websites outside of FB. The old saying still holds true - 'If it sounds too good to be true.....'.

 

[stuart little]

I must be one of the lucky 'few', I don't get any scam calls. I only use my old Motorolo Rasor for receiving one time login confirmation codes, which is rarely, & I have BT call blocking landline, which has now gone 'digi voice', amazingly no unwanted calls.

 

[Agent_zed]

used to get scam calls at my parents house saying they were from Microsoft and that our computer has a virus. I'd keep them on the phone for as long as possible. They kept trying to get me to press the windows key on the keyboard and I kept saying it wasn't working. I failed to mention that we use linux so the windows key is never going to do anything

It's funny how some of them only know the script so even when I say we are on linux they still carry on. I even told a few that I was an IT security specialist and they ignored that and continued the script.

 

[DrPhill]

used to get scam calls at my parents house saying they were from Microsoft and that our computer has a virus. I'd keep them on the phone for as long as possible. They kept trying to get me to press the windows key on the keyboard and I kept saying it wasn't working. I failed to mention that we use linux so the windows key is never going to do anything

It's funny how some of them only know the script so even when I say we are on linux they still carry on. I even told a few that I was an IT security specialist and they ignored that and continued the script.

Yeah, after the talk-talk leak-leak I got plenty of those. I had fun for a while being an old duffer who didn't understand computers. "I only use it for doing my banking" was a favourite line. My machine took ages to boot up and occasionally the phone line dropped. I mistyped things and misread responses (none of which was real - I am on Linux too and the scripts are always microsoft). Twice I managed to get the 'support technician' so wound up that they swore at me. Amusing, but I am not sure what I really achieved (except tying up some resources that might have scammed some old duffer).

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I get a few scam calls - there is obvious pleasure to be had in wasting their time.

Sadly it would also waste my time - and I have better things to do. My style, once I know who they claim to be, is abrupt - banks, pension, insurance etc which sound plausible I contact directly. The rest are forgotten as the phone call is ended.

 

[John Brown]

I get a few scam calls - there is obvious pleasure to be had in wasting their time.

Sadly it would also waste my time - and I have better things to do. My style, once I know who they claim to be, is abrupt - banks, pension, insurance etc which sound plausible I contact directly. The rest are forgotten as the phone call is ended.

I may have said this before, but I reckon a lot of these scam callers are poor and desperate, and would probably much rather have a proper, rewarding job. It's the people who run the organisations that are the evil ones, and although it can be entertaining to play the caller along and waste their time(I used to do it myself), I now just hang up, as it probably makes little or no difference to the guys in charge.

 

[flying haggis]

re winding up scam callers this girl is great