Just got a call from "Microsoft"

[DarthKTrava]

I got the call a few months ago. I was cooking dinner and was bored waiting for Dh to get home so I played along. At least 5 times I told the caller "I'm confused. Can you start from the beginning again" and he did. I just put the phone on speaker and set it on the counter as I cooked. I finally told him that Dh is a computer engineer/programmer and would know if something was wrong with our computer, but he insisted that only Microsoft trained techs could detect the problem. I told him that if we discovered a problem with our computer, we would call Microsoft and he said, "But I am Microsoft". By that point, Dh had gotten home and dinner was done cooking so I told him I'd call him back if I needed any help and hung up. I had him on the phone for almost 30 minutes and was more than happy to hopefully save at least one person from being scammed by him that night.

Maybe you should've put your husband on the phone and let him spout a bunch of "technobabble" at the guy.

 

[DarthKTrava]

When an unknown number calls me (usually from something like Palmdale??) I like to answer the phone with names of fake businesses that throw them off. My all time favorite that I've used a few times and always throws these scammers off guard is the Naked People Emporium. I just say, Thank you for calling NPE, we strip 'em, you buy 'em, how can I help you. They're never quite sure if they heard right so I repeat it. They ask if it is a business and I cheerily say "Yes, it's NPE" and repeat the tag line. I usually get a response that they have reached a wrong number. Once it was one of those computer guys and I said that we don't use computers, just au naturale labor. He hung up.

Or use, "Road Kill Cafe. You kill it, we grill it".

 

[cybrkitn]

Or use, "Road Kill Cafe. You kill it, we grill it".

Ooooo, that reminds me of a similar one my friend told me. It was "Frank's Mortuary. You kill 'em, we chill 'em". I forgot the actual name that was used so I just substituted the name Frank.

The only problem with that is answering the phone and find out the caller is legit. I had that happen to me when I was a teenager. We were getting a lot of crank calls and I answered the phone with the above. Only to find out that it was a legitimate call. Oops ! Once I explained to the caller the situation, she laughed.

Ok, back on topic.

 

[2binak]

What can they get from you? Passwords?

They want remote access to your pc and once they have that, it's up to them what they get or do.

http://www.microsoft.com/security/online-privacy/avoid-phone-scams.aspx

 

[PaulaSB12]

I'm guessing that they're banking on the fact that lots of folks received laptops and/or devices for Christmas, so the hackers are making their calls now. Be careful, folks.

My caller (who had an Indian accent) addressed himself as "a representative from the Microsoft Corporation", who detected a problem with my computer that required immediate attention. He said he could fix it, but needed me to log on and give him access.

Oh yeah, let me get right on that......

In my most professional voice, I informed him that he was absolutely, positively, in no way whatsoever, a representative from Microsoft. And hung up.

Those people suck.

I get these and let them go on until they say press the start button at the bottom left hand corner, at that point I say I don't one but there is an apple at the top left hand corner at which point they cut off for some unknown reason

 

[Jeafl]

I've gotten these calls too. One time the guy got really abusive so I just hung up.

This morning I got a call from "Ohio" . I answered it and it was a recording saying "Thank you for calling". Strange, since they were the ones that called me. It said to hold for an operator, and since I wasn't busy I waited. I figured I would tell the operator to take me off the calling list. When he came on he said I won a $100 Walmart gift card. All I needed to do was give him my credit card number to cover the $2.95 shipping and handling fee. At that point I asked him if he was smoking crack because there is no way in hell I was giving him any information. He got really defensive and I just hung up on him. He tried calling back but I didn't answer.

I'm not sure why the Do Not Call list exists when we have just as many unwanted calls as before we were on it.

 

[Kim&Chris]

We got another call from "Microsoft" about a week ago.

DH answered the phone, and the caller said he discovered a very serious problem with our Windows.

DH said, "No way!!! Sears was just here and installed all new replacement Windows. I'm looking right at them, and I can tell you that they're great. No problems at all".

 

[sailorstitch]

I got one of these calls tonight for the first time. Luckily I remembered reading this thread months ago. The guy didn't claim to be with Microsoft. He just said that there was a problem with my computer. I hung up right then. They tried to call back later, but I didn't pick up. The caller id came up as "unknown".

sailorstitch

 

[minnie56]

I'm in Canada , we get them too...
Had one this week actually. Depends on timing , some times I say let me get my husband, he's with the RCMP and would want to know --- click follows ---- sometimes I say really, I'm with Microsoft what are you seeing?? --- click ------ sometimes I say wow, really, I don't own a computer...--- click ------ fun really! Except for those poor folks who fall for it.

 

[Lintasare]

Ooooo, that reminds me of a similar one my friend told me. It was "Frank's Mortuary. You kill 'em, we chill 'em". I forgot the actual name that was used so I just substituted the name Frank.

The only problem with that is answering the phone and find out the caller is legit. I had that happen to me when I was a teenager. We were getting a lot of crank calls and I answered the phone with the above. Only to find out that it was a legitimate call. Oops ! Once I explained to the caller the situation, she laughed.

Ok, back on topic.

If a coworker calls me at work I usually answer with "Murphey's Mortuary. You stab em, we slab em." They usually forget what they are calling about.

 

[cybrkitn]

We got another call from "Microsoft" about a week ago.

DH answered the phone, and the caller said he discovered a very serious problem with our Windows.

DH said, "No way!!! Sears was just here and installed all new replacement Windows. I'm looking right at them, and I can tell you that they're great. No problems at all".

LOVE that answer!

 

[Kim&Chris]

LOVE that answer!

Thanks! DH was particularly proud of that one

 

[dhop]

I've had a couple of these calls in the last month (one just last night). I told the guy that I was confused because I don't even have a computer. He hung up immediately.

You guys have a lot more creative responses!

 

[lizzyb]

Had one of these calls a couple months ago too. I told him we didn't have a PC and they hung up.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I had someone try that about a month ago, He didn't know what to say when I told him I was running Kubuntu and not windows. (actually true on one of my masheens)

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I used to get a lot of these calls. I told the guy that I only have Apple computers, and he said "Oh, we fix those too." I said "You are from Microsoft and you fix Apple computers too?" He said "Oh, yes." I hung up.

TP

 

[StephMK]

We don't have caller ID. Yeah, I know. We live in the dark ages here. We got rid of all of our extras on our landline when we were trying to save some $.

We don't have caller ID either. Just a basic landline so I do a lot of screening. We really only keep it for emergencies and I think our internet/phone/TV package would not change in price if we drop due to the combined deal.

I used to get a lot of these calls. I told the guy that I only have Apple computers, and he said "Oh, we fix those too." I said "You are from Microsoft and you fix Apple computers too?" He said "Oh, yes." I hung up.

TP

That's hilarious!

We have gotten a few calls. If I answer, I tell them that I know you're a scam and hang up. The other night, DH told the guy, "I know you're a scam". The guy replied "No, I'm not". DH said yes you are and I'm a fraud investigator (he really is) and hung up. Next time if I have nothing to do, I might mess with them to keep them on the phone.

 

[Domo]

I used to get a lot of these calls. I told the guy that I only have Apple computers, and he said "Oh, we fix those too." I said "You are from Microsoft and you fix Apple computers too?" He said "Oh, yes." I hung up.

TP

 

[manning]

Got one of those from someone claiming I paid Too much for a service plan and wanted to refund it. You know what they were after.

I said good, you got all the necessary info just put the check into the mail and hung up.