DNS Scam from India. Anyone else contacted?

Yesterday I received a strange phone call from a fellow with an Indian accent claiming, kind of, to be from Microsoft Support and telling me my computer had some sort of DNS problem that was affecting the network. He knew my name and asked if I had an Internet connection. This put me on alert because he was fishing for information. He then told me my computer 'had a problem" with the Internet DNS and was causing issues. I suppose I should have strung him along a little further, but I knew this was not true, so I started laughing, and I said,

"You and I both know that what you just said is complete B*** S***."

The next thing I hear was dial tone. I've since found a description of something quite similar. A news article is here.

Apparently they try to talk you into giving them full control of the computer and at some point try to get you to buy a protection service to "fix" the problem.

Anyone else heard about this or received a similar call?

reply to post by schuyler


old news guy this is going for years !

www.microsoft.com...

www.computerworld.com...

But your a member of ATS and actually your use of the computer may be causing issues with someone's desire to control people. It wasn't really a lie, but it was a scam.

reply to post by schuyler


Yes...my aunt bought into it...hook line and sinker. I had her change all passwords and I wiped all her computers. Once they get "inside" they install VNC and I found some trojans (not sure if related totally or not). Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention, I had her change the router password and wpa2 password.

JT

Anyone calling you with an Indian accent is just trying to rob you, these bas####s call me at least once a week with a different story, in the end all they want is your credit card details and they get angry when you don't play along.

If I have nothing better to do I enjoy wasting their time for an hour or two have them run around in circles pretending im totally oblivious to their scam then tell them this has been quite entertaining and to p##s off.
Take a look on Youtube, there lot's of Youtuber's who like to play with them too

Some stories iv had sofar
1. My computer has errors, I must install some remote computer software to let their engineers take a look while I fill in all my private details and credit card info to a page they direct me to.

2. My computer has 100's of nasty viruses I must quickly go to their website to buy their special antivirus software because their's is the only one that can clean my computer.

3. If I pay a one time fee they can get me a grant to have free internet and phone calls from my ISP.

4. I can buy a special box to plug into my phoneline to make free phone calls, just pay now and pick it up at my local post office in the next few days.

5. Pay now to get a satellite tv dish and box to recive all Sky TV channels for free forever.


In short they will say anything to get your credit card details.

I used to get those calls, but I messed with them by asking 'which computer do you mean?'
That led a discussion that ended with me telling the guy it was a scam.

Remember, Microsoft Support NEVER makes unsolicited calls to anyone. The only time that might call you is if their calling you back after you call them first on a support call.

I saw a video where someone got a call like this and was stalling for about 20 minutes until he told the caller that he was using Linux.

reply to post by schuyler


These people call me at least twice a week. It has been going on for several years. Being friendly doesn't work. Being unfriendly just garnered some unfriendly words about my mother and wife and children. The call always comes from different generated numbers so I can't block it.

Every time I answer my phone to an Indian accent, it's Mr. Patel, from down the road asking if his wife is here having "cocktails" again. No tech talk whatsoever.

This has been going for years. A decade or more even. They target zones by area code and prefix so if you ask around you'll find others in your area that have gotten the same call.

They hit an area for a few weeks, usually until some local small time news channel runs a "new scam" story about this old scam then they move on.

In a couple of years they'll be back to your area doing it again.

Been happening around this area for quite some time. most recently was about the start of march. And like others said its fun to play with them and waste their time lol.

WHAT?!

You get calls from India too?!

Well,, I must lead a charmed life. I get almost daily calls about my LAST NOTICE about credit card services, but I've never got one of these calls before. And yes, I DID recognize it as a scam. I just never have been privileged with such a call before. Made me think I was listening to Raj on The Big Bang.

reply to post by schuyler


How I handle these types of calls depends on my mood, sometimes I'll string them along for a while just for the hell of it. Normally they'll ask for some bogus name, I'll say yeah he's/she's here hold on. Then set the phone down and keep doing what I was, then every couple of minutes pick it up and say She/He is coming just a sec.

Junkheap
Remember, Microsoft Support NEVER makes unsolicited calls to anyone. The only time that might call you is if their calling you back after you call them first on a support call.

I saw a video where someone got a call like this and was stalling for about 20 minutes until he told the caller that he was using Linux.

edit on 21-3-2014 by Junkheap because: (no reason given)

I saw one similar to this, except the guy was running a virtual Windows 98 machine on his Mac.
As the scammer goes through his scheme it's quite funny when you realize how idiotic these people are.

Yeah,its a global thing-I get a few a week here in Wales.
Usually goes like this:
"Hello Sir I am calling about your windows computer-"
"I don't have a windows computer" I reply.
"I am calling about your apple computer-"
"I don't have an apple computer" I reply.
"I am calling about your linux/Ipad/android computer/phone"

"Words that are not allowed on ATS" I reply-unless its a girl-then I try to chat her up,which usually makes them hang up.

I also get Indian folks ringing and asking if "random name with my surname" lives here.

This I predict will continue until the solar flares hit.

reply to post by schuyler


Yeah get phone calls from those idiots all the time, if anyone ever rings you claiming to be from Microsoft and an engineer its bullsh** and they are trying to scam you. two ways normally

1. you let them remotely connect to your computer and they install a virus or spyware for you !

2. they direct you to an official looking site for anti-virus software to download and scan your computer with, which comes bundled with viruses or spyware !

once inside your computer they will search out any info they can to access your bank account and rob you blind.
these people are scammers and scumbags.

Microsoft have themselves stated that they never contact customers in this way.
so whatever they tell you its 100% bull

yamammasamonkey
Every time I answer my phone to an Indian accent, it's Mr. Patel, from down the road asking if his wife is here having "cocktails" again. No tech talk whatsoever.

edit on 21-3-2014 by yamammasamonkey because: (no reason given)

LOL - Does she come by to have cocktails often?

PS - I already like her - bet she's a riot to hang out with...

OT Switch put back in the upright position.

I had them try this a while ago on me and i made a post about it

PhoenixOD
I just though id share something thats just happened to me today here in the UK. I had an Indian guy ring me , said "are you mr *********?" I said "No" like i always do when i get random phone calls from People i dont know. He then claimed to be from Microsoft and said they had detected a bad virus infection on my computer. I knew something was up because my Windows operating system is not registered to me personally. They asked me to bring up a 'run' box and type in 'Eventvwr' so instead i opened google and typed in 'Eventvwr scam' and found a whole bunch of results describing the call i was having. I then said something unmentionable here on ATS to the guy and hung up.

After a bit more of an investigation i noticed this scam has been around for a couple of years, i think the ultimate aim is to trick you into buying software you do not need and of course when you do that they have your credit card info.

I guess they must be doing the rounds again in the UK, so this is a warning to anyone who has not heard of this scam.

edit on 16-2-2012 by PhoenixOD because: (no reason given)

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Tech support has to do something in his spare time.