I get these calls only on my cell phone every week or two. They never call my office or my home, only the cell. They say they are from the "computer technical department" about my computer, but I am my own technical department and I certainly don't need assistance from someone who is seemingly on the other side of the world. They used to say they were from Microsoft, but that changed a few months ago.
Today I let them lead me down the "garden path" to see what they wanted. Just like above, my Windows computer has been" hacked" and is being used to send out spam, etc. When I asked them WHICH computer they changed their tune slightly and said it was a Vista computer. I got a good laugh out of that and proceeded to inform them that (1) I used to own my own computer store (before Best Buy moved into town and stole my business right out from under me), Consequently, (2) I build my own desktop computers, (3) I have never had a computer using Vista, and (4) I program my own desktop computers and I do not use any Windows OS to do so. I also asked for the IP address of the computer in question, but they would not answer that and changed the subject back to "turn on the compute and hit any key". Told him that was hard to do when driving 75 mph on the Interstate, and besides my desktop was turned off when I went to be last night.
The guy was still talking when I hung up.
I am going to try to track down the phone/fax machine that screams in our ear when we call this number back.
I've received calls from this number twice. First time I wasn't home, but there was no message left. Second time, today, I answered the phone. A foreign sounding man asked for me by name, announced that he was calling from Washington, and explained that I had been awarded a federal $9,000 grant (amazing, since I had not applied for a grant EVER). I asked him if he was calling from Washington, why was the call coming from a Los Angeles exchange? He then began talking someone there in a foreign language, at which point I hung up.
I received a semi-incoherent voicemail around noon today from this number - (231) 928-2652 - with an angry-sounding Indian voice informing me to appear before a judge/grand jury (?!) and that 'not responding will result in additional penalties' for FEDERAL CRIMES?? Who/what is this and how did these Indian people, presumably scammers from India proper, get my home number? This is vaguely creepy. I'm so glad I Googled the number and found this (and other) sites before I started really worrying about if I was being federally indicted for, like, downloading pirated ebooks. Geez...
LAW ENFORCEMENT doesn't notify anyone in advance they are gong to be arrested or indicted. You're just arrested or notified of an indictment proceeding. And it isn't my phone.