The "Windows" Scammers

[otakuneko]

I do so want to lure one of those Windows scammers into one of my VMs. I've got 2k and 2k3 Server VMs... I could load one up with fake goodies for him to steal, or firewall off the VM and string the guy along while all connection attempts fail, or even fire up a VM loaded with something like PCLinuxOS or ReactOS and confuse the shit out of him...

but alas, I don't think I'll ever get the opportunity.

[Captain Trips]

I'm still waiting for my scam call. I think I'll jist give them my IP address. 127.0.0.1. Wonder if they'll get it.

[ADoyle90815]

Years ago my phone number was one digit off the VA Hospital in Buffalo. That was fun.

For a while, my answering machine started "Hi, you have reached the ******** residence. If you want the VA hospital, please hang up, put on your glasses, and dial 716-834-xxxx..."

(ETA: I just googled my old number, and apparently it's now a dentist's office number. I wonder how many calls THEY get for the VA.)

The landline is one digit off from the harbor patrol's security division, as I live in a port city. Once when someone didn't believe that they called a residence, I said that I'm a couple of miles inland, and the closest body of water is the swimming pool next door. For a while, my voicemail greeting included "If you want the harbor patrol, the number is (actual number)." It's been a while since anyone has called the landline trying to reach the harbor patrol. I've never even considered messing with telemarkters by saying they've reached the harbor patrol as it could be considered impersonating law enforcement.

As for those scammers from Microsoft, I told them I had an Apple computer, which was my way of getting rid of them. On my cellphone, I ignore numbers from area codes I don't recognize, so those scammers eventually try another number. It was actually my cell phone where I got the one ring scam, but there's no way I was going to fall for that since I don't return calls to numbers I don't recognize, especially if it's an area code I'm not familiar with.

[wolfie]

It was actually my cell phone where I got the one ring scam, but there's no way I was going to fall for that

Would that be where someone is trying to trick the nasty hobbitses into returning his precious?

[Ophbalance]

I'm on call number 2, but they keep hanging up when I start laughing.

[Jay 2K Winger]

The calls for Tom Wotzisname continue. Last night, as I turned my cell phone back on after work, I found another voicemail waiting for me. I knew it was going to be another call for Tom, so I held off on listening to it, intending to do so today, then give the security company in question a call and let them know that I am not Tom Wotzisname.

Turns out I didn't need to. On my way to work today, I got a call from that number in Minneapolis that's been calling for Tom.

Them: "Hi, this is [name] from [Blah] Security. Can I speak to Tom?"
J2K: "There is no Tom at this number."
Them: "Oh. Okay, thank you." (click)

I double-checked the voicemail when I got to work, and these calls are apparently in regards to some alarm on a fire panel at some retail store that Tom's connected to. Which just makes the fact that they continually try to call me-- and get my voicemail, which explicitly identifies me as not being named Tom Wotzisname-- and leave these messages for him.

I think I'll call them back anyway, getting the number off the voicemail again, and politely but firmly ask them to stop calling me.

EDIT TO ADD: Called them up. Didn't give my name, just said that they'd been calling my cell trying to reach Tom Wotzisname in regards to a fire panel alarm and leaving voicemail messages for him. They apologized, asked for my cell number, and said they'd update their records.

Incidentally, it would appear my incoming voicemail message isn't clear enough. I had thought it said "Hi, you've reached the voicemail of Jay Winger, etc." when it turns out it goes, "Hi, you've reached Jay's voicemail, etc." so there is room for doubt. I'll have to update that later.

[icmedia]

I just had one of these guys call me up at work yesterday, tell me to go to their website (a VPN site that would give them access to my machine), then ask me what I saw on my screen.

I started reading the the guy the malware.com description of their website (which I had Googled), which uses clear language like "scam," and "illegal."

The guy called me a bastard, and hung up.

[Plague*Star]

The landline is one digit off from the harbor patrol's security division, I've never even considered messing with telemarketers by saying they've reached the harbor patrol as it could be considered impersonating law enforcement.

Nonsense! NO reason at all you can't have a message saying, "This is one digit off, from the harbor patrol's security division. If people assume the number belongs to the hot-tempered Spanish-Russian investigator, Juan Dichidoff, that's *their* problem.
P*S