Last week I received yet another call from someone perporting to be from Microsoft. As I had already registered with the DNCR I decided to lodge a complaint. The following is their reply:
Thank you for your complaint about the telemarketing call that you received. I note from your complaint that the caller claimed to be from Microsoft and offered online technical support. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) has received a number of complaints about these types of calls. > > The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a number of warnings about these scam calls. You can report a telemarketing scam on the ACCCs SCAMwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au or by calling the Infocentre 1300 795 995. Information about protecting yourself from these and other scams can also be found online or by calling the ACCC. > > Your complaint > I have reviewed the information provided in your complaint and have been unable to identify the entity that called you. As a result, the ACMA has been unable to contact the business in response to your complaint. > > Further information about the action the ACMA has taken, in conjunction with the ACCC, can be found at www.acma.gov.au/ComputerSupportCalls > > If you are concerned that a call you receive is part of a scam, and if you receive further telemarketing calls of this nature, the best way to protect yourself is to hang up. It is also very important that you do not provide your credit card or personal information to the caller during the course of the call. > > Warning: You may receive a follow up scam call > On 23 March 2011, the ACCC in conjunction with the Microsoft and the ACMA, warned consumers about a new twist on these calls. The ACCC has seen an increase in complaints recently where, after receiving one call offering online technical support, a caller will falsely claim to be from a foreign government, foreign law enforcement body, or from the consumers bank, and may offer to recover money initially lost in the scam, in return for a fee. Beware the scammer will not give you your money back and will only ask for more money. > > If you believe the call you received relates to a possible scam, please report it to the ACCC by visiting the SCAMwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au or by calling the Infocentre 1300 795 995. > > If you receive a telemarketing call or marketing fax, please lodge a further complaint with the ACMA either online at www.donotcall.gov.au or by calling 1300 792 958. > > Information about the ACMAs complaint handling policy can be found at www.acma.gov.au/DNCPolicy. > > Yours sincerely > > James Harley > Telemarketing Investigations Section
ChiChi1 said
02:12 PM Aug 1, 2011
I received these calls three days in a row. I then somehow contracted a virus that looked and sounded like the real thing as if it had come from Microsoft. Wouldn't let me access the internet. However, luckily son was able to deal with it. I think that an ordinary person would be only too pleased to have these scammers who ring at the right time fix it for them. Don't know if the calls and the virus were connected. Alls well for me without their help.
Onedodger said
03:19 PM Aug 1, 2011
I find it rather weird that you get a telephone call then a virus in your pooter. I do not think that the two are connected unless you let them get control of your computer or you gave them your personal e mail address and accepted an e mail.
However I do think that you did the correct thing in reporting it. But the fact is that these calls are from overseas and our laws cannot provide protection against them. I have had these calls as well and also reported them and the above re legalities was the end result from our authorities. Next time just hang up or play the mickey on them.
Cheers Dodg.
-- Edited by Onedodger on Monday 1st of August 2011 03:20:32 PM
jimbo said
06:55 PM Aug 1, 2011
I have recieved 2 in two days.....With the most appalling English...I had a little fun with her...For a while...Felt like I was fishing again on the Murray River and Hauling in a Huge carp....Did to the carp what I would have liked too do to them Call centres...With some shocking American Accents
jules47 said
07:37 PM Aug 1, 2011
I have my home phone and my mobile on the DNC register - and get very few if any of these nuisance calls - but talking of accents, had some dealings with Telstra recently, and one of the people I spoke to was in Australia, Adelaide I think, and she had an accent that was almost sing-song- I have a slight hearing problem, and found her so hard to understand, I had to keep asking her to repeat things - frustrating, was madly writing things down as I went to try and make sense of what she was saying. Probably took a lot longer than it should have, but I needed to understand what was going on.
Helena said
08:30 PM Aug 1, 2011
I've had the same calls and just hang up on them, my nieghbour had the same call and she let them tell her all about her computer then in the end she calmly told them that she didn't have a computer they hung up on her. Helena.
Happywanderer said
09:38 PM Aug 1, 2011
I like the neighbours trick Helena, must remember that one.
nu one said
10:24 PM Aug 1, 2011
My Son in law is in the Provider Business and informes me that THEY ARE A LOAD OF SCAMMERS FROM INDIA So don't entertain them Just as always I check withe the Lad first Take care out there Nomad's
sandsmere said
05:19 AM Aug 2, 2011
We are on the DNC , and do not get any of these calls .
jimricho said
07:43 AM Aug 2, 2011
These people are criminals and couldn't give rat's *rse about the DNC register!
This type of marketing/ scam are really annoying and those departments we have created at great expense seem absolutely useless at preventing it from continuing . If it's an email contact from any provider that I haven't initiated contact with I just delete. If a text then deleted if a phone call hang up the more oxygen we provide these parasites the more they grow in boldness. That don't call number is not working either I have been listed for years now and still get marketing callers on both home and mobile phones .
There's a new twist coming which seems to be accepted . It now seems that when you walk pass a department store they can scan / access your phone number and send you a text about there instore special offers. Is there nowhere to hide anymore ?
milo said
12:12 PM Aug 2, 2011
i must be the odd one out, never had one of these calls, i do get alot of calls in regards to charities, i dont like to be rude to them but just say we already give , which we do any ways, but hey.. what do they know..
Drifters said
12:11 AM Aug 3, 2011
I was at a friends house recently to help him with some computer problems he was having and they were on the phone and connected to his computer after telling him they were from Microsoft and wanting to check his computer for viruses. They told him he had problems then offered him a discount for a service package to fix the issues and provide ongoing protection. They asked for his credit card details to pay for the service. I reached over and pulled the internet cable from his computer and you should have heard the abuse that came from the girl that had been very polite until then. Their scam is to check your computer for bank details etc if that fails they offer the service package and if you wont pay they destroy your computer operating system and your data or inject a virus. They cant do anything unless you give them access, but if they get in they can do whatever they like. The Federal Police are investigating them but as they are in India it is not easy to get to them.
-- Edited by Drifters on Wednesday 3rd of August 2011 12:12:02 AM
Travel Bug said
12:39 AM Aug 3, 2011
Drifters wrote: I was at a friends house recently to help him with some computer problems he was having and they were on the phone and connected to his computer after telling him they were from Microsoft and wanting to check his computer for viruses. They told him he had problems then offered him a discount for a service package to fix the issues and provide ongoing protection. They asked for his credit card details to pay for the service. I reached over and pulled the internet cable from his computer and you should have heard the abuse that came from the girl that had been very polite until then. Their scam is to check your computer for bank details etc if that fails they offer the service package and if you wont pay they destroy your computer operating system and your data or inject a virus. They cant do anything unless you give them access, but if they get in they can do whatever they like. The Federal Police are investigating them but as they are in India it is not easy to get to them. __________________________________________________________________
Drifters,
A couple of weeks ago, I saw the exact scenario that you have described outlined on "A Current Affair". They were warning people to be wary of it.
I am on the Do Not Call Register....and I also have a silent number....but I have received a few of these calls. I know several others who have also been called.
Drifters said
09:04 AM Aug 3, 2011
The do not call register doesnt work on these people. It only applies if someone can be charged, usually the company they are representing is charged as the call centre is untouchable. The system the criminal type use is a computer that calls every number starting with the prefix and 0000 and then 0001 etc until they get a hit. The computer scamer actually has your PCs IP address and are able to connect to it if you allow access. They are able to get information from your accounts etc on the NET to match your phone number to the IP address and that is when they call you. There is no connection to an Australian company that can be charged so they dont have to take any notice of the do not call register.
Last week I received yet another call from someone perporting to be from Microsoft. As I had already registered with the DNCR I decided to lodge a complaint. The following is their reply:
Thank you for your complaint about the telemarketing call that you received. I note from your complaint that the caller claimed to be from Microsoft and offered online technical support. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA) has received a number of complaints about these types of calls.
>
> The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a number of warnings about these scam calls. You can report a telemarketing scam on the ACCCs SCAMwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au or by calling the Infocentre 1300 795 995. Information about protecting yourself from these and other scams can also be found online or by calling the ACCC.
>
> Your complaint
> I have reviewed the information provided in your complaint and have been unable to identify the entity that called you. As a result, the ACMA has been unable to contact the business in response to your complaint.
>
> Further information about the action the ACMA has taken, in conjunction with the ACCC, can be found at www.acma.gov.au/ComputerSupportCalls
>
> If you are concerned that a call you receive is part of a scam, and if you receive further telemarketing calls of this nature, the best way to protect yourself is to hang up. It is also very important that you do not provide your credit card or personal information to the caller during the course of the call.
>
> Warning: You may receive a follow up scam call
> On 23 March 2011, the ACCC in conjunction with the Microsoft and the ACMA, warned consumers about a new twist on these calls. The ACCC has seen an increase in complaints recently where, after receiving one call offering online technical support, a caller will falsely claim to be from a foreign government, foreign law enforcement body, or from the consumers bank, and may offer to recover money initially lost in the scam, in return for a fee. Beware the scammer will not give you your money back and will only ask for more money.
>
> If you believe the call you received relates to a possible scam, please report it to the ACCC by visiting the SCAMwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au or by calling the Infocentre 1300 795 995.
>
> If you receive a telemarketing call or marketing fax, please lodge a further complaint with the ACMA either online at www.donotcall.gov.au or by calling 1300 792 958.
>
> Information about the ACMAs complaint handling policy can be found at www.acma.gov.au/DNCPolicy.
>
> Yours sincerely
>
> James Harley
> Telemarketing Investigations Section
I find it rather weird that you get a telephone call then a virus in your pooter.
I do not think that the two are connected unless you let them get control of your computer or you gave them your personal e mail address and accepted an e mail.
However I do think that you did the correct thing in reporting it.
But the fact is that these calls are from overseas and our laws cannot provide protection against them.
I have had these calls as well and also reported them and the above re legalities was the end result from our authorities.
Next time just hang up or play the mickey on them.
Cheers Dodg.
-- Edited by Onedodger on Monday 1st of August 2011 03:20:32 PM
I have recieved 2 in two days.....With the most appalling English...I had a little fun with her...For a while...Felt like I was fishing again on the Murray River and Hauling in a Huge carp....Did to the carp what I would have liked too do to them Call centres...With some shocking American Accents
Just as always I check withe the Lad first
Take care out there Nomad's
We are on the DNC , and do not get any of these calls .
These people are criminals and couldn't give rat's *rse about the DNC register!
It's worth checking..http://www.scamwatch.gov.au
and http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/834379
Jim
There's a new twist coming which seems to be accepted . It now seems that when you walk pass a department store they can scan / access your phone number and send you a text about there instore special offers. Is there nowhere to hide anymore ?
i do get alot of calls in regards to charities, i dont like to be rude to them but just
say we already give , which we do any ways, but hey.. what do they know..
I was at a friends house recently to help him with some computer problems he was having and they were on the phone and connected to his computer after telling him they were from Microsoft and wanting to check his computer for viruses. They told him he had problems then offered him a discount for a service package to fix the issues and provide ongoing protection. They asked for his credit card details to pay for the service. I reached over and pulled the internet cable from his computer and you should have heard the abuse that came from the girl that had been very polite until then. Their scam is to check your computer for bank details etc if that fails they offer the service package and if you wont pay they destroy your computer operating system and your data or inject a virus. They cant do anything unless you give them access, but if they get in they can do whatever they like. The Federal Police are investigating them but as they are in India it is not easy to get to them.
-- Edited by Drifters on Wednesday 3rd of August 2011 12:12:02 AM
Drifters wrote:
I was at a friends house recently to help him with some computer problems he was having and they were on the phone and connected to his computer after telling him they were from Microsoft and wanting to check his computer for viruses. They told him he had problems then offered him a discount for a service package to fix the issues and provide ongoing protection. They asked for his credit card details to pay for the service. I reached over and pulled the internet cable from his computer and you should have heard the abuse that came from the girl that had been very polite until then. Their scam is to check your computer for bank details etc if that fails they offer the service package and if you wont pay they destroy your computer operating system and your data or inject a virus. They cant do anything unless you give them access, but if they get in they can do whatever they like. The Federal Police are investigating them but as they are in India it is not easy to get to them.
__________________________________________________________________
Drifters,
A couple of weeks ago, I saw the exact scenario that you have described outlined on "A Current Affair". They were warning people to be wary of it.
You can watch it here:
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/investigations/8250275/call-centre-scammers
I am on the Do Not Call Register....and I also have a silent number....but I have received a few of these calls. I know several others who have also been called.
The do not call register doesnt work on these people. It only applies if someone can be charged, usually the company they are representing is charged as the call centre is untouchable. The system the criminal type use is a computer that calls every number starting with the prefix and 0000 and then 0001 etc until they get a hit. The computer scamer actually has your PCs IP address and are able to connect to it if you allow access. They are able to get information from your accounts etc on the NET to match your phone number to the IP address and that is when they call you. There is no connection to an Australian company that can be charged so they dont have to take any notice of the do not call register.