Fell for my first scam but fixed before anything happened

[alldodge]

Have Dish and from time to time have received calls which ask if I want to upgrade and always say no. They are always from India and ok, nothing ever happens

Get a call today asking for the receiver info and they want to verify what they have. I give them the info from the TV. Then the guy ask for the 4 digit pass code. I ask why do you want that? Again this is just to verify. This doesn't sound right but do to bad English I fall for it.

First guy says another guy will call me within 10 minutes. He calls and says Dish will give me a $20 discount every month for 2 years. Ya-da-ya-da goes one for a good while. I'm asking for what? Says they are launching a new satellite and must update the software. Will cost me a one time charge of $99 but will save $20 every month for 2 years.

Now spidy senses are in full swing. Called Dish and talked to a guy that spoke clear English. He says we get 90K calls a day and Dish will never call a user ever. Your TV will stop and there will be an error code and you will call us. Told the guy sure wish I would have heard that many years ago, would have saved me some time. Change pass code and questions

Next time I get one of these I might play along and see how much time I can keep them on the phone giving them bogus info

 

[aspeck]

Those sneaky buggers!

 

[flashback]

I pay no attention to anything coming from the Internet anymore. Too much BS . I regularly delete emails and text without ever opening them. Snail mail is even suspect but at least I can open an envelope without it sending a notification back to the sender alerting them that I opened said message.

 

[harringtondav]

We don't have a landline, just two cell/smart phones. If a call comes that's not in our contacts we push the off button and let it go to voicemail.
Most of the scams move on from there. Those that leave a message are pretty easy to sniff out as unwanted. Same with text messages.

 

[alldodge]

Your missing most the fun. I let them come in to get their info. Once I have it I report to FTC under do not call list and it cost them 1,500 bucks each yime

 

[Scott Danforth]

Most of the spammers have spoofed phone numbers. Not sure the DNC list can actually be enforced.

 

[alldodge]

The DNC?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Do Not Call list

 

[cptbill]

If the scammers worked half as hard at a real job they'd probably be rich

 

[matt167]

My mom just fell for one. But it didn’t end as pleasant. The scammers took remote control of her computer and compromised the entire windows install.. she had to reset passwords and notify everyone what happened.. she’s picking up a new computer from me this weekend, which has Bit Defender and I’ll be able to secure remote if I need to.

 

[alldodge]

Wife has had the "do touch anything call Microsoft at number below" many times by clicking the wrong thing on FB

Luck she now knows how to get out of it and resume

 

[racerone]

Our rules / policies / regulations need to be adjusted to match the morals of these people.----Punishment for those found guilty in all areas of crime need to be multiplied tenfold.----We are too soft on crime.----Have to go back to the days when horse thieves were trearted properly.-----Easier / less risk in stealing cars than robbing a bank.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Our rules / policies / regulations need to be adjusted to match the morals of these people.----Punishment for those found guilty in all areas of crime need to be multiplied tenfold.----We are too soft on crime.----Have to go back to the days when horse thieves were trearted properly.-----Easier / less risk in stealing cars than robbing a bank.

Most of these folks are operating from other countries, so our laws are meaningless to them.

 

[harringtondav]

I rarely answer unknown callers. If I do and they ask "is this Dave?", I ask who is calling? That stops most scams in their tracks. Never, ever answer their question with a yes. They may record the affirmative yes, and use it as your permission for some swindle.
I sat with my neph when this happened. Fake credit card call center scam, they had neph's CC number. Once the guy had the 'yes' he ran a $400 withdraw from the credit card.

 

[harringtondav]

Wife has had the "do touch anything call Microsoft at number below" many times by clicking the wrong thing on FB

Luck she now knows how to get out of it and resume

Same happens to my wife occasionally. She panics, I hank the power on her computer and restart. ...the key is not letting the browser, Firefox or Edge, restart when the computer starts back up. Often it goes right back to the culprit web page. Then I'll run the quick Windows Defender scan to smoke out any bugs.

 

[alldodge]

We do Ctrl+Alt+Delete and shut down the browser using Task Manager

 

[harringtondav]

We do Ctrl+Alt+Delete and shut down the browser using Task Manager

I'll try this next time. Previous versions of the bug/virus locked up the keyboard and mouse. So I mash the power button for about 15 sec and restart.