Pfishing scam from faraway India to watch out for.

Aug 6, 2006
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I just got a call from some guy with an East Indian accent, telling me he was from Windows and telling me that he was there because my computer was downloading malware that would make it crash. He asked me to press Windowskey-R and then CMD, which brought up a bunch of computer gibberish, some of which was related to Windows programs, like Solitaire. He asked me to read him the longest line on the screen. I read him several and he did not like any of them. Then he asked me to go back to CMD and type in what he said was a CLSID code, a line of 32 lines divided irregularly into 5 blocks by hyphens. Rather than type it in, I wrote it down.



Then I told him that I did not believe him and that it seemed like he was trying to get access to my computer. I told him he had to tell me what he was going to try to sell me. He dodged this question four times, and then told me how awful it would be if my computer crashed. I told him that I thought he was likely a scammer and I would not obey. He muttered what I think were swear words in perhaps Hindi and after several more refusals to discuss what he was selling, hung up.

He said he was from Windows, not Microsoft. I told him that Windows was part of Microsoft. He refused to give me his name.

Then I did a search on "Indian calls from Windows and asks me to type" and it brought up a lot of warnings.

No matter what your politics, I suggest you also refuse to obey if one of these guys calls you. I suggest telling him that you cannot see what he is telling you to looks for, even if you see it, and asking over and over again, is that a ZERO or the letter O, what do you mean by hyphen, and if possible, asking him questions in any language other than English that you might know. He did not react well when I spoke to him en espa?ol, and said something really nasty-sounding when I told him, " Ich habe eine verapred?ng mit Professor Werner.". Then I informed him, "Pas de la Rh?ne que nous." He also disliked that remark. Play the Good Soldier Schweik and try to keep him on the line as long as possible and do us all a favor.:chinese::chinese::chinese:
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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I've gotten this call more than once. They hang up with me when I tell them I don't have any Windows computers, only Macs.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
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South Coast
Odd, I have a bunch of little windows on my MAC :bunny: :)

Glad to see your post skynet - saw the news about an Italian American named Anthony who died last night under suspicious circumstances.... glad it wasn't you!!