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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To waarn you about this new scam that worried my MIL

32 replies

theITgirl · 17/06/2011 19:44

Just had a call from MIL.
She had a call from a company called Kalsoft (sp), based in Banbury Road Oxford. To say she had been infected by a Trojan virus. They needed to access her computer to clean it for her!!!

I have never heard of this company but the scenario is just screaming scam to me. I believe that once she had allowed access they would have installed some key logging software and grabbed her on-line banking or amazon passwords etc.

They did have her name, address and telephone number. Probably off a mailing list. I told her to let them nowhere near her computer and prescribed a G&T. She feels very shaky about it.

Might be worth a word with the DP's or PIL's. Unless they would call you first for advice, mailing list could be an OAP one or just details off the electoral role.

Cannot find anything on snopes about it - yet.

OP posts:

Original poster

theITgirl · 17/06/2011 19:45

WARN for FFS

OP posts:

TheMagnificentBathykolpian · 17/06/2011 19:45

Yes, it's a scam.

Empusa · 17/06/2011 19:52

That's been going on a while now, my dad has had it, as have a load of others on a forum DH is on.

Original poster

theITgirl · 17/06/2011 19:56

Thanks. Sounded dodgy as fuck, but never been targetted myself.

OP posts:

StrawberriesAndScream · 17/06/2011 19:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ddubsgirl · 17/06/2011 19:59

yeah had same here,def warn people so many fall for it :(

ddubsgirl · 17/06/2011 19:59

lmao! your gran rocks!

ratspeaker · 17/06/2011 20:02

It sounds like a variation of the "Microsoft " scam but using another company name. I suspect people have got a bit wary of "Microsoft" phoning people up to tell them that their computer is infected

You did the right thing telling her to ignore it

pfbornot · 17/06/2011 20:04

My mum's had this. When she told the guy no, he screamed that "the virus is EATING your hard drive, NOW!". She knew it was a scam straightaway but she was really cross about it.

TotemPole · 17/06/2011 20:07

I've had these calls, usually from people with names like Kevin yet a very very strong Indian accent.

It is a scam. IMO, it's disgusting as some people will fall for it.

LordOfTheFlies · 17/06/2011 20:08

We've had several calls (from foreign sounding persons) claiming to be from Windows and telling us our computer is running slow.
Sometimes I argue with them that they are not from Windows because they don't phone.
DH asked what virus specifically.
I sometimes sit and pretend to follow their instructions -computer off at time.

Last guy got really shirty that I was wasting his time!! Hello you phoned me!!
I never swear but I bl**ody feel like it!

meltedchocolate · 17/06/2011 20:13

they have done that here too 'Your computer is running slow, go and turn it on please so we can fix it' 'erm... no it isn't, thank you and goodbye'

LoopyLoopsBettyBoops · 17/06/2011 20:18

We've had it too, a few times.

Numberfour · 17/06/2011 20:18

A bit off topic but I had some woman call me to offer me something. I said that whatever it was she had to offer, I did not want it. She asked me how did I know that I did not want it if I did not know what it was. So, I told her that if I had wanted anything I would have bloody well phoned whoever I needed to myself.

wheresthepimms · 17/06/2011 20:20

I find telling them you have an Mac works, they then don't know what to say .

Oh and the last one I got I told him I wrote anti virus computer software for McAfee, I don't but the guy swore at me and put the phone down .

chicletteeth · 17/06/2011 20:25

Been going on for ages.
Tell her to just hang up if it happens again.

I had this the other day and the guy (from an Indian call centre which is where lots of these scams are known to run from) told me that my operating system wasn't working properly. I knew instantly what he was up to and said how odd, can you tell me what 's wrong so he said that I needed to download a patch to sort out Windows and internet explorer too.

Hmm says I, very odd that since I use Linux and firefox.

He instantly hung up on me

I was bored and am quite clearly a geek too

Empusa · 17/06/2011 20:55

Someone DH know sat through the whole explanation of downloading the "patch", then at the end said, "sorry, what's a mouse again?"

QOD · 17/06/2011 20:58

My sis has been harassed by them, my bro in law got yet another call one evening and when he realised who it was said "look, just fuck off will you and leave us alone" and hung up.

2 mins later, phone rang again, irate Indian sounding man shouted "no you fuck the fucking hell off" and hung up.

Hilarious.

Pumpernickel10 · 17/06/2011 21:00

Had it myself but thanks for warning us op

JudysJudgement · 17/06/2011 21:02

iits not new, its been around for about 4 years or so

they phoned my uncle and told him his computer had a virus

he said oh really, thats odd, i dont have a computer lol

even my 80 year old mum has been targeted and she was savvy enough just to hang up

Lunabelly · 17/06/2011 21:03

I'd tell them I don't have a computer. I'd probably throw in a few feck affs for good measure.

revolutionscoop · 17/06/2011 21:10

We had a call like this recently. These things are a kind of sport to DH, who led them along for ages, pretending to be completely convinced, acting very worried about the safety of our computer etc before finally telling them he knew exactly what they were up to. He then refused to hang up, which rattled the caller no end, for some reason :)

RufusTFirefly · 18/06/2011 09:33

I've had this. I'm an ex techie and IT trainer. My response was "pull the other one, it's got fucking bells on" and I slammed down the phone. I have zero tolerance for scammers and cold callers and I see no reason to be polite - they can be ruthless and very persistent, and I'm not having it.

Empusa · 18/06/2011 09:50

revolutionscoop That's what I want to do, but they never ring me :(

sausagesandmarmelade · 18/06/2011 09:57

Sounds very dodgy...might have been worth having them come around and have the police waiting...fraud squad might be very interested in this sort of thing.

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