Computer, & Phone Scams, Hacks, & Viruses

[g1]

Maybe electric shocks? (a la Buckaroo Bonzai)

Holding the smoke alarm up to the phone and hitting the 'test' button might do the trick.

[The Dude]

I like to just push buttons. The dial tones alone are pretty loud when you're wearing a headset.

[Chuck H]

Back in the day of corded phones annoying calls (yes, they were being made even then) were sometimes greeted with air horns. You know, those compressed air or Co charges attached to a little plastic bugle device that you see sold for boats.?. Yeah. People used to blast those into the old Bell phones to put off telemarketers. So this whole thing isn't really new I guess.

[Enzo]

Many years ago I briefly worked for a satellite dish company. Not Dich Network, but the real old school dishes that were 6-8-10 feet across. I would be the guy they sent out if a customer had issues. At the central office, the other side of the place was marketing. EAch girl had a phone, and was given a sheet of paper. Typical one would have at the top something like: 354-42xx. And down the side was:
354-4200
354-4201
354-4202

And so on. They went down the page calling each number. A note by each to record the result: NA, HU, etc

The next girl got 354-4300 series. Humorous when people asked "How did you get this number, it is unlisted."

[big_teee]

CYBER SECURITY?
It is being thrown around on the news channels, the possibility of cyber attacks world wide, as a result to unrest in the Ukraine?
Even in the US, the UK and beyond.
Just a reminder to keep your computer, tablet, and smart phone virus, and malware software, up to date!
T

[dmeek]

I've been watching some scambuster videos on youtube, in particular RinoaPoison. She talks-over, misunderstands, changes the subject, plays dumb and generally
sends the scammer into a rage while a clock at the top of the screen shows how much time she has wasted. Take a look if you have a few hours to spend.

[Enzo]

I get some guy with an Indian accent wanting my Medicare number or some other ID number. SO I tell him "four". He then tells me there are more digits than that, so I explain I am very old and have one of the first numbers issued, so "four." By then they usually give up.

[Chuck H]

I get some guy with an Indian accent wanting my Medicare number or some other ID number. SO I tell him "four". He then tells me there are more digits than that, so I explain I am very old and have one of the first numbers issued, so "four." By then they usually give up.

I might just change it up and say "42". Which is the Dr. Who answer to "life, the universe and everything". But so brilliant. 4. Awesome.

I actually live in a small town. Hard to imagine such a thing exists anymore, but aside from the tourists that Main St. and the boutiquey farm steads rely on a lot of the locals know each other. At my bank I tell them the last two digits of my account number and they go right to it. having known me and my time here on the island that is enough. The family here that we moved here to be closer to has an account number so old that it only has four digits at the tail of a bunch of zeros. I love this aspect of the lifestyle though I can surely grump about other things. You take the good with the bad though.

So from now on my answer to tele scams asking for numbers will be 42. It'll make things faster if they get it right away and it's the same schtick if they don't. Either way it's more fun than just getting pissed off at them

[Dave H]

I might just change it up and say "42". Which is the Dr. Who answer to "life, the universe and everything".

It's from 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

Didn't you once live in Oakland Chuck? I've been to Oakland. I used to go to a pub there when I was working at Laurence Livermore.

[Chuck H]

Ah, Yes it's HHGTTG.

And I've been all over Oakland. My brother still works in the Bay area and has been doing some painting maintenance at Laurence Livermore. He said it's an incredible PITA because they have to hold a meeting for safety and hazard considerations for every drop of paint he applies. He says between the continuous staff meetings and the extra time it takes to qualify agreed procedures it has to the most expensive painting he's ever done for anyone.

[J M Fahey]

You should simply answer scammers by reciting in a thin almost inaudible trembling voice your signature here

Taking some 15 minutes each, all the time asking yourself loud "what was I talking about?", "did I call or was it you?", "is it you Cousin Joe?"

[Chuck H]

You should simply answer scammers by reciting in a thin almost inaudible trembling voice your signature here

Taking some 15 minutes each, all the time asking yourself loud "what was I talking about?", "did I call or was it you?", "is it you Cousin Joe?"

In the Bay Area, Ca. there's a radio segment on the classic rock station called "F'in with telemarketers". Though most of the segment is scam calls. The D.J. effects an old man's voice and spins all kinds of strange, but not implausible scenarios intended to keep the scammer on the line. Like the dog humping the Rumba vacuum cleaner or wound care dressing allowing intestines to spill out. Matter of fact descriptions of impossible circumstances like medical conditions including a seven day boner, etc... It's hilarious. And expertly executed and documented. No way anyone could be more ridiculous and keep these predators on the line any better. Just funny as hell.

This is what I strive for when I get such calls. I usually can't manage to keep their interest long and they just hang up. It's a work in progress

[The Dude]

My brother likes to keep them going, too. They will ask if (insert name here) is available. He'll say yes, just a minute. He'll then put the phone down picking up periodically to tell the spammer he'll be there shortly. Then repeat every minute or so. It's surprising how long some of them will wait.

[Mick Bailey]

A new scam I hadn't come across before;

My Wife posted an item on Facebook marketplace (I don't use Facebook) as cash on collection, and within seconds there was a reply saying they would pay a lot more than the asking price if the item is reserved. My wife replied that there was no need to pay extra and we would keep the item until it could be collected. The reply was then something along the line of "I was intending to pick it up, but I'm too busy at work. I'll arrange a courier and they will pay you and collect the item". We checked, and the courier named does not handle cash and will not collect unpackaged items.

So she replied saying we wanted no involvement with couriers. The prospective buyer had no profile details and no posts on Facebook, then disappeared.

We wondered where the scam was, and it turns out that just before the item is 'collected' There's a request for a substantial bank transfer payment to cover insurance, but that would be added onto the total cash that the driver leaves. So, you keep the item, but the sting is the fake insurance payment. Apparently this is very common, but It's a new one on me.

[Chuck H]

You'd think anyone that clever could figure out how to make a living in the legitimate world.?.