Has anyone else had a call from PC Wizard?

[andymorton]

This afternoon I get a phone call from a company called PC Wizard. It went a bit like this.

'Sir, we have reason to believe that through your Windows operating system you have downloaded some malicious software from the internet which can cause serious damage to your computer and greatly impact upon system performance'.

I then said that I doubted that was true since I don't use a Windows operating system. He then said that since I use Apple Mac I may still be at risk. My response was that I don't use a Mac either. I use Linux. He replied by apologising for calling (in a rather disappointed tone of voice) and put the phone down.

It seems they're cold-calling people and trying to frighten them into believing that their computers are at risk from malware in the hope of selling anti-virus software. It's a pretty disgusting tactic in my opinion.

I was just wondering how often this is happening and whether anyone else has had a call like this.

andy:)

[Sporkman]

'Sir, we have reason to believe that through your Windows operating system you have downloaded some malicious software from the internet which can cause serious damage to your computer and greatly impact upon system performance'.

Sounds like fraud to me... They seem to be posing as some sort of authority.

[andymorton]

Sounds like fraud to me... They seem to be posing as some sort of authority.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Surely the only way they could know if I'd downloaded any malware is if they were monitoring my internet connection. It's worrying how many people might fall for it.

[Gremlinzzz]

PC Wizard was fishing for info sounds like a scam of some sort.

[tgm4883]

That's exactly what I was thinking. Surely the only way they could know if I'd downloaded any malware is if they were monitoring my internet connection. It's worrying how many people might fall for it.

Well, the other way they could know is if they produced the malware that you downloaded and either A) it called home, or B) they tracked your IP back you you.


I doubt either of those are the case and they are just cold calling people. Really shady if you ask me.

[Linux_junkie]

Check out this site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11754487

[andymorton]

Well, the other way they could know is if they produced the malware that you downloaded and either A) it called home, or B) they tracked your IP back you you.


I doubt either of those are the case and they are just cold calling people. Really shady if you ask me.

Good point, I didn't think of that. :)

[czr114]

Sounds like fraud to me... They seem to be posing as some sort of authority.
Not that much different from any other form of advertising.

[andymorton]

Check out this site.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11754487

I'd completely forgotten but I read that article at the time it was published. Hopefully they'll be caught and prosecuted as soon as possible.

[cra1g321]

Its all done so they can get your bank account details.

I got a weird call from someone with an Indian accent saying that he worked for Microsoft and that they got a call from my ISP saying that my internet was slow and that they(Microsoft) could upgrade it. :-s

Thought this was a load of BS so i talked the usual garbage to avoid talking to him any further.

Why would my ISP tell Microsoft, to tell me that my internet was slow and that it could be upgraded. :lolflag:

Quite clearly this guy wasn't from Microsoft because they wouldn't tell me that there's upgrade/solution, they would just deny that there was a problem and let me suffer lmao

[theraje]

Not that much different from any other form of advertising.

But if we didn't have PC Wizard to save us from ourselves, who could we count on to save the day at the special limited-time introductory price our representative was authorized to offer us?

[Shining Arcanine]

This afternoon I get a phone call from a company called PC Wizard. It went a bit like this.

'Sir, we have reason to believe that through your Windows operating system you have downloaded some malicious software from the internet which can cause serious damage to your computer and greatly impact upon system performance'.

I then said that I doubted that was true since I don't use a Windows operating system. He then said that since I use Apple Mac I may still be at risk. My response was that I don't use a Mac either. I use Linux. He replied by apologising for calling (in a rather disappointed tone of voice) and put the phone down.

It seems they're cold-calling people and trying to frighten them into believing that their computers are at risk from malware in the hope of selling anti-virus software. It's a pretty disgusting tactic in my opinion.

I was just wondering how often this is happening and whether anyone else has had a call like this.

andy:)

This reminds me of some antivirus software that Verizon wanted to give me to keep my computer safe. Their CSR had no idea what to say when I said that I used Gentoo Linux and that it was incapable of running that software.

[andymorton]

This reminds me of some antivirus software that Verizon wanted to give me to keep my computer safe. Their CSR had no idea what to say when I said that I used Gentoo Linux and that it was incapable of running that software.

I couldn't help laughing at how disappointed he sounded when I told him I used Linux. :D

[fatality_uk]

If anyone gets a call from these guys, don't tell them you use Linux, just let them talk you through the crap they spew out and say "Yes I am at that web site now, what do I do?"

Hopefully, after keeping them on the phone for 1-2 hours trying to get you to download a trojan, they will give up!

[Sylos]

My dad had a similar call from a guy claiming to be from BT (his ISP) saying that his computer was runnming slowly and that this was due to some virus or other that they had detected on his /C drive. Thankfully my he runs lubuntu these days and I have managed to teach him that he doesnt have a drive C drive and therefore he smelled the rat in the phone call. He told the guy he was shocked to hear that he had a problem on his C drive and after some more waffling told the guy that he didnt have a C drive as he uses linux. The *** didnt even reply - the phone just went dead!

Its a worrying phenomenon. My dad is a vulnerable group in a way - approaching 60, just got the internet and lives alone. I bet they are getting quite a few people in that grouping that take the bait.

[mendhak]

I know for a fact that this type of scam has been around for at least 7 years, which was when I last received a similar call. I didn't have anything clever to say at the time so I simply said "I'm putting the phone down now." (It was a landline, not a mobile phone, so I did put the phone down)

[Junosix]

If anyone gets a call from these guys, don't tell them you use Linux, just let them talk you through the crap they spew out and say "Yes I am at that web site now, what do I do?"

Hopefully, after keeping them on the phone for 1-2 hours trying to get you to download a trojan, they will give up!

I'm aching for them to call me up so I can do exactly that! Loads of my customers have had calls like that and one of them actually paid up £95 for nothing. I think some of them try to get you to install TeamViewer, so I'd let them log on with that and see what happens!

[3Miro]

If anyone gets a call from these guys, don't tell them you use Linux, just let them talk you through the crap they spew out and say "Yes I am at that web site now, what do I do?"

Hopefully, after keeping them on the phone for 1-2 hours trying to get you to download a trojan, they will give up!

+1

Unlike mass e-mail span which is dirt cheap, phone calls cost money. Every minute you keep someone like that on the phone is another person that will not get scammed.

[nothingspecial]

Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please phone me Mr PC Wizard :twisted:

[NightwishFan]

I had my grandmother use Ubuntu to avoid issues like this, however she is always still on the phone telling me: "The book told me to do this!" or "They said you will get viruses from this!". I have to keep saying to disregard anything someone says until she asks me.

[TBABill]

NightwishFan it's great that she has you as her protector because there are so many ways people are preyed upon by scams of some sort. I do the same for my in laws whenever they have computer problems, although I cannot convince them to just get away from Windows to prevent all the spyware and virus problems they have had. They do tend to call me first when facing something that sounds suspicious, but so many people just operate in the blind and don't have that resource to bounce concerns off of, ending up spending lots of wasted money or having their identity stolen along with their accesses to all types of sites.

[NightwishFan]

It is a double edged sword. I customised the Ubuntu for her so I know how it works from the bottom up. She keeps complaining of mystical problems that are not apparent when I get over there. Generally it turns out to be something like she has 100 tabs open and 6 of them are playing audio from flash ads. :D

[marionc]

i had a phone call from pc wizard today it was funny really they called me last week i said i was just going out and they were going to call me back at 4 so i ignored the phone but they just keep hussling you until you answer it so i answered they gave me all the rubbish they gave you lot he asked if my pc was on i said no but in the mean i was doing a search for the company to see what was said at first it seemed ok then i saw this site where people had also had calls to lol so i just kept him hanging on the phone lol soi evenuatlly said it will be on in a minute i then just left him to keep calling me madam lol for ages then i think he gave up and came of the phone lol xx

[Megaptera]

When they call, just say "Can you hold a minute please?" Then play some soothing music in to the phone while you have a cup of coffee and a meal - go back to the phone occasionally and say "Thank you for holding ... your call is important to me ... I'll be with you shortly". ):P

See how long you can keep them hanging on! That way they're not stealing someone else's £ or $ or € or info etc !!!

:lolflag: