When Microsoft calls

Got a phone call from Microsoft yesterday. They had detected problems with my PC - I think. Technician was a bit hard to understand, speaking English (a bit strange because the number he called from was Norwegian), but unfortunately very bad English (worse than mine).

He was very rude. I asked him, given that I've had a lot of calls from Microsoft about PC problems, but there were none, if there really was a problem this time. I asked him very politely, but he just hung up on me.

Jokes aside. Like many people I've got a lot of these "Microsoft" calls. Sometimes I claim that I only have Linux machines, once only Apples (*shivers*). Sometimes I only speak Norwegian. And sometimes I just tell them they should be ashamed of themelves.

Now, how do you handle these calls (apart from just hanging up)?

pibbuR who only make phone calls from pibbuR.

PS. James Veitch may have some valuable general hints (not specifically Microsoft related).: DS.

I never get those kind of calls. Never had.

Most of these types of calls start with robotic callers so I just hangup

I have assembled nerd defenses. I moved my all my numbers to VOIP, and run my own little FreePBX server. So all my calls are made through Linphone on my mobile, or the VOIP handset in the house, and I have different numbers for different purposes. If a number unknown calls, they are asked to state who they are and the purpose of the call, then put on hold. Then my phone rings and plays me what they said. If I like it, I pick up the call, and if not, I reject it and block the number. Almost no pest callers even bother to try.

So I've never actually dealt with these little buggers, but I would quite like to play with one. I might set up a VM I would let them into, with an extremely interesting wallpaper, and alarming items all over the desktop. I wonder if there's any malware that can attack a remote desktop connection…

I never had calls from MS but I had a few from salesmen, I suppose it's the same way to deal with them.

When my kids were still young enough (4-10 years is optimal), they were super happy to chat with them on the phone. These people would usually get tired about 2 or 3 minutes and it was very funny to hear.

I've also timed how long they would wait when I said "Someone's at the door, I'll just open and get right back to you", then just put the phone on the table. They used to be more patients a few years back, I'd hear the occasional "Allo? Are you there?" a couple of times before they hanged up, but now they all know that trick and hang up after a few seconds, it's not funny anymore.

When I had a modem, I could activate it, it's not a pleasant sound.

Now there are lists we can subscribe to in order not to be called, salesmen must legally respect them and that works pretty well. Not sure that would do it with the MS guys though.

Never had a call from them.
It would be funny, if you would have a special PC for them that hacks their computer when they remotely logon to it
An then ask for bitcoins to unlock it.

Myrthos said:

N...
It would be funny, if you would have a special PC for them that hacks their computer when they remotely logon to it
....

Click to expand...

Apparently this has happened: https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2016/08/15/tech-support-scammer-tricked-into-installing-ransomware/

pibbuR

Redglyph said:

...
...Now there are lists we can subscribe to in order not to be called, salesmen must legally respect them and that works pretty well. Not sure that would do it with the MS guys though.

Click to expand...

We have that in Norway as well. Legit companies (with very few exceptions) respect it. Scammers - usually not.

pibbuR

When Microsoft calls it's usually a scam. Just like when someone calls and says there from my bank or IRS.. That's why I use an app that screens my incoming calls.

I got these calls at home. If I have time I troll them back (I am an IT expert), otherwise I just hang up and lock the number.

Usually I just won't answer any phone call if I don't recognize the number. If you pick up, even if you troll the caller, it goes onto a database of working numbers and increases the chance of future calls (or so they say).

Most of these fake MS calls are targeting the elderly who don't understand computers well and may be easily confused by the urgent voice on the line telling them they are doing something wrong.

I don't answer my phone.

That entire call sounds rather hinky to me, I'd block the number asap.

My parents got them a few times. I suspect they look into telephone dictionaries especially for older sounding names, in hopes to get older people on the other side of the phone.

When I'm in the mood, I put on my best American TV Evangelist voice and with a LOUD Hallelujah start speaking to them about Jesus and being 'washed in the Blood'!! Not only do they hang up VERY quickly, but they never call again!! LOL