How many forum members get phone calls that start like this.
Phone rings.
I pick it up.
Complete silence on comes from the receiver.
-I wait (knowing that I'm about to be entertained for the evening)
-I wait
-Then emanating from the invention of Alexander Graham Bell, "Hello Mr Geeoorgge, (can't say George, the way that the person at the other end pronounces it, sounds like they are in pain.) it is .......... here. I am ringing you from Vindows, to tell you that your computer is tellng us it has some problems.
-(Yes Yes Yes) Some fun for the evening.
The strategy that follows is.
Which computer?
You tell me which computer, you are telling me it has a problem.
All my computers are turned off at the moment.
Which version of Vindows do you mean.
If you are from Vindows, you would be calling from Microsoft.(to this they deny they are from Microsoft, but are from Vindows.)
What address have you got with this phone number.(oh a 747 ........., ) That is where I used to live 5 years ago(True), you have been ripped off with your call list, where did you get it a box of CornFlakes.
Can I speak to your supervisor please.
-----Now at this point or a little earier they usually hang up.
BUT this once, last night I was put onto the supervisor.
She asked if I was having any problems with Vindows, I cut her off there because we were about to enter a never ending deja vu loop.( remember those)
I interupt and tell her about them being ripped off with there call list.
She tells me, very politely, that she is about to hang up. I say that I will let her if she promises never to call this number again.
She says sorry I am about to hang up on you , and click.
Anybody else got strategies to waste these peoples time, and have fun at the same time.
I have also used the Linux, Unix and Apple OS strategy, also I have asked about the fact that my keyboard doesn't have an ANY key and that they should program an ANY HOT-KEY in the next edition of Vindows 666.
Tom......
PS I am NOT racist. I have not mentioned which country these calls originate from, just that it isn't Australia, we are outsourcing our phone centres like every other capitalistic country.
When I get a call like that, I usually say that my son takes care of the computers and I will get him and please hold on a moment. Then I set the phone down and go back to whatever I was doing. After a while I hang up the phone. I've been getting fewer and fewer calls since I started doing that.
My kids and I have a running challenge to see how long we can string them along.
27 minutes is the current record before we say the magic word "Ubuntu"
TomGeorge:
The strategy that follows is.
Which computer?
You tell me which computer, you are telling me it has a problem.
All my computers are turned off at the moment.
Which version of Vindows do you mean.
That's exactly the same strategy I use, except that after about 10 minutes I get fed up and tell them to go forth and multiply in no uncertain terms.
PS I am NOT racist. I have not mentioned which country these calls originate from, just that it isn't Australia, we are outsourcing our phone centres like every other capitalistic country.
I bet your calls come from the same country my calls come from, and it's not the USA!
PS I am NOT racist. I have not mentioned which country these calls originate from, just that it isn't Australia, we are outsourcing our phone centres like every other capitalistic country.
Hi I just realised after rereading this, that the hackers are also outsourcing there ill intentioned actions.
My father (y'know, parents and computers and all that that implies) received one of these calls and contacted me about it. It actually took me a few moments to realize there's no way they could have gotten his phone number given that he's using his neighbor's WIFI for his internet connection.
Hi, the neighbours WiFI hmmmmm..
I can usually "see" four other WiFi networks here, one is the Primary School in the next block and three others at certain times of the day, one looks like it belongs to a Chemist/Pharmacist/DrugStore, (hope I covered all international names) but I don't have one anywhere near. So must be a network link I can see, or there business office is nearby.
Anyhow in a week or so NBN (National Broadband Network) will be connected, eventually Australia will have a bigger broadband network than Rumania!!!!!!! So the advertisers and pro broadbanders say.
Tom.....
Just waiting for my Vindows freind to ring this evening, no sign yet, but I'm about to have tea so he will ring soon.
TomGeorge:
Hi, the neighbours WiFI hmmmmm..
I can usually "see" four other WiFi networks here, one is the Primary School in the next block and three others at certain times of the day, one looks like it belongs to a Chemist/Pharmacist/DrugStore, (hope I covered all international names) but I don't have one anywhere near. So must be a network link I can see, or there business office is nearby.
Anyhow in a week or so NBN (National Broadband Network) will be connected, eventually Australia will have a bigger broadband network than Rumania!!!!!!! So the advertisers and pro broadbanders say.
But bigger doesn't always mean better. Last year my ISP changed my download speed from 30Mbs to 60Mbs, at no extra cost. Last month they changed it to 100Mbs, again at no extra cost. I tested it the other day and got 105Mbs! Upload speed is about 5.5Mbs. Pity I can't type that fast without my fingers melting.
Just waiting for my Vindows freind to ring this evening, no sign yet, but I'm about to have tea so he will ring soon.
Will you be VERY disappointed if he doesn't call? =(
we have something called (rougly translated) "opposition repository". If you register your PUBLIC (is has to be already on the public telephone's list) there, it is illegal to call you for promtional purpoise, and law hit very hard; just start to say "oppoclick-tuuuuuu"
we don't have oversea's caller, but we get a lot of spam call from our thelephone company.
and yes, you may have a "private" number, a "public" number (it is on the telephone register witch is open to public ad even send to every house in paper format every years... what a waste), and then if you have the public number (witch mean spamer at will) you can register to don't get spam.
Yeah, it WAS and should be the way around, but you know, at the time the prime minister was we evil dwarf berlusconi
But I can call any number in Italy from here, in the UK. Is the UK not overseas (underseas, if you include the channel tunnel) from Italy?
but we get a lot of spam call from our thelephone company.
I'd change my supplier.
and yes, you may have a "private" number, a "public" number (it is on the telephone register witch is open to public ad even send to every house in paper format every years... what a waste), and then if you have the public number (witch mean spamer at will) you can register to don't get spam.
We have the same here, but even registering (opting out) doesn't prevent spam calls from overseas.
My wife bought something that you put in your telephone line that blocks calls where the caller's number isn't detected. I cannot use it because it will block some overseas calls that I want to receive.
Henry_Best:
My wife bought something that you put in your telephone line that blocks calls where the caller's number isn't detected. I cannot use it because it will block some overseas calls that I want to receive.
That function should be provided by the telephone company - and at no cost. It is essential for anyone receiving prank / abusive calls because to have the phone ring and the caller ID nevertheless indicate the abusive party is in itself a form of abuse.
The service should provide a recorded message explaining that the number cannot be contacted unless the caller ID is enabled and that there is an "escape" prefix available to enable this. Now that could of course, be built into a line filter that you could use with your phone - a variant of a digital answering machine - such as you mention.
My problem and annoyance is that digital (VoIP) PABXs in hospitals and such are often set up not to provide the ID.
But I can call any number in Italy from here, in the UK. Is the UK not overseas (underseas, if you include the channel tunnel) from Italy?
i mean, no foreign spammer.. for now
Henry_Best:
but we get a lot of spam call from our thelephone company.
I'd change my supplier.
what if EVERY supplier does that?
Henry_Best:
and yes, you may have a "private" number, a "public" number (it is on the telephone register witch is open to public ad even send to every house in paper format every years... what a waste), and then if you have the public number (witch mean spamer at will) you can register to don't get spam.
We have the same here, but even registering (opting out) doesn't prevent spam calls from overseas.
My wife bought something that you put in your telephone line that blocks calls where the caller's number isn't detected. I cannot use it because it will block some overseas calls that I want to receive.
quite bad situation. foreign is hard to stop beacuse international cooperation is needed. But i'm quite sure there are similar box that does white/black list, and maybe here are even some DB
I'm surprised that I have not got any windows calls on any phones I have access to. It's just quiet all the time. I think my previous cell number was sold to a lot more places or a lot more times than my current one. I'm going to keep this number
Hi, how simple can it be to get your phone number, it starts 555.... doesn't it, all the stuff out of the states that I watch have their numbers starting like that.
TomGeorge:
Hi, how simple can it be to get your phone number, it starts 555.... doesn't it, all the stuff out of the states that I watch have their numbers starting like that.
Tom....
There used to be, here, a series of free recorded advice lines (I don't think they still exist) beginning with 121. If you didn't want to give someone your real number, you could give them the number of the STI advice line, 121 XXXX. Most never cottoned on... until they tried ringing it
