This number called not too long ago, and I let it go on the machine. Whoever it was left a message saying "hello, are you there..." over and over for about a minute. Listening back to it, it didn't sound like an actual person, but a recording.
It's best not to answer, and if you already did, hang up asap. If you're playing games with them, eventually they get nasty and just curse at you. Why subject yourself to this. If I don't recognize the number, I do not answer my phone. Period. If it's a legitimate call, they will leave a message.
A scammy idiot (w/ that same ole thick Indian accent) - supposedly calling from IT Solutions - has called me twice in the last couple weeks about my "compromised" Microsoft computers. My latest call was a few minutes ago (from "Caller Unknown, w/ that weird NY number listed here).
I knew right away once I heard his accent & "the initial pitch" that it was a bunch of baloney, but decided to have some fun with this guy - - - so I let him go on and on about the "compromised system that has been detected on my computer" and the viruses "they" have detected on my Microsoft OS (even tho I have ONLY Macs). I asked "how do you know this happened to MY computer? Was it identified by my IP address?". I truly don;t think he even know what an IP address was, so he answered: "we have identified this problem FOR you through your phone line". (…well… isn't that amazing!! LOL!).
I acted astonished and told him I was sooo "glad" that he called because I have 4 computers (which I do - all Macs. and all on 24-7). You could practically hear him salivating when I told him I have that many computers.
I kept him going for about 10 mins... just messing with him about "how thrilled I was that he called" and how I am so lucky to be talking to him, and how could they fix" all of my machines.
Then I asked him what HIS name was and he told me my husband's exact name! (our home phone is listed in his name, but just with his first initial only, so the fact that this jerk already knew my hubby's actual full name - and it's not that common a name - was a tad disconcerting).
I told him "Wow… that's my "UNCLE's name" [I don't really have an uncle by that name]... "What an absolutely amazing coincidence!... but he doesn't live here any more." - and he replied: "oh… I thought you were asking me what your uncle's name was". (more idiocy, but a pretty quick response on his part… must be in the script he reads from!). I said: "don't you think I would know my own uncle's name, esp. since I just told you that?". He apologized, then immediately shifted gears and started 'dictating' to me that I "had to stop and listen to him" so he could help me with all of my computers' problems.
I stopped him mid-sentence, and again asked for HIS name and he quickly spit out the name Donald Ross.
So I let him go on to tell me how he/they could "fix" my computer remotely and how they could do it right now - all the time I kept calling him Donald repetitiously, just to drive him nuts (and keep me from laughing). I expressed how grateful and amazed I was to get his call, and then I lowered the boom on him: "...Well, Donald… because I find this all so incredibly amazing and astonishing that you have this superior technology in place to not only identify and protect me, and that you've been able to tell me so much about my Microsoft OS', compromised systems and my computers that are in danger - I'm going to tell you something that's even MORE amazing: I've been recording every word of this call because I work for a private investigator so my software automatically kicks in on every unknown-caller's call, AND, Donald - I'm sure you'll love this part - - - I don't own a single Microsoft computer or any MS OS devices, so I know you are full of s#%t, and I sincerely hope I've wasted a whole lot of your time! I'll be hanging up now and reporting your call and your supposed company to the State Department in NY [and in the sate where I live, which is about 1500 miles away from NY] and to the US Att'y General's office where my Uncle works in a high position [this is a fact]. So, bye-bye, Donald!… and have a nice day!"
I'm sick of these scammers who keep on trying. Ugh!
If you have time the next time one of these "IT/computer scammer morons" calls you, keep 'em on the line as long as you can just for kicks.
Good luck to anyone else who receives these kinds of calls - and ALWAYS guard your personal info carefully!
I have a computer that I test viruses with, (not networked) so I think next time he calls I will put it online and let him have at it..... Just for fun. (My other computers ALL run Linux operating systems with one of them running XP in Virtualbox.)
as soon as i answered call, the foreign guy on the other end told me i was having problems with my computer... i asked who he was and he said he was just calling about the problem with my computer. i asked him if he received a call from us stating that we were having computer problems. he said "you would have no way of knowing that". i knew it was a hoax, so i just hung up.