Warning

[BradyJa]

I have just been around to an elderly lady's house to help her with a few odd bits of work.
I answered her telephone as she was finding some light bulbs and was advised by the person viruses were atacking her computer and they could rectify the problem I would presume for a fee.
What I could not understand however was how viruses were attacking her computer as she does not have one.

Brady

[Davethedog]

Scam - Presumption that everyone has a PC then con you into giving away your details

[boxtops]

LoL :-)

[Baldric]

It's not unusual!

[anneasquith]

tom jones ?

[wiltsman]

These are scams by scums!

Perhaps you could arrange for the elderly lady to be registered with the Telephone Preference Service (www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/).

I'm afraid it doesn't stop all these nuisance calls, particularly International calls, but it will stop a lot of them.

[Tilly2]

I've had several of those calls and do what a friend advised me to do. It keeps them talking and wastes their money. It goes something like this.

Tilly2 'Oh, that's interesting. How do you know I've got a problem?'
Them 'Mutter mutter.'
T2 'Yes, but how do you know. You must be really clever?'
Them 'Mutter........'
T2 'I'm really interested in the technology. Do explain it to me, as I think it's amazing.'

etc, etc, etc.
They usually hang up when I get to the bit where I say 'Yes but I still don't understand how you know I've got a problem when I don't even have a computer.'

Try it, it's amusing to hear their frustration.

[rhythmcrazy]

LoL ! :-)

[VHG]

I have had at least half a dozen of these calls and they are indeed scams.

They nornally say you have problems or errors on your PC (they actualy have no idea) and will help you fix it.

To do this you install some software on your PC but this allows them to "take control" of your PC and see all the files on it.

They will also get you to sign up to a years "support" which can cost £300 or so, but they want your credit card details and once they have that they can use it to buy anything they want.

So this is a well known SCAM and best just to hang up.

[Beswad]

It's a scam. What VHG said. I just played along with it hopefully waste their time and phone bill. They always hang up when challenged.

Plenty of phone pranks taking revenge on these people could be found on Youtube.

[Beswad]

It's ashame they don't call me anymore otherwise I would gladly let them have control over my spare computer just to see what they get up to.

[pusskin]

Brilliant Beswad, just looked on utube and there's plenty there, lol

[factor-fiction]

Hello again