Microsoft telephone call that could eventually involve Mac users, too.

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Twice, I have been telephoned by individuals (self-declared representatives from Microsoft) warning me of a terrible virus affecting my computer. They were prepared immediately to help me eradicate it. I let them talk, then announced that my platform was Mac (mostly but not totally true) and hung up. I know of someone who was not suspicious of a caller and lost a large sum from her credit card. Probably someone could invent a scheme for Mac involving telephones and credit cards, so I mention this as a warning not to place confidence in such calls.
 

bobtomay

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Very easy solution:

Never buy, donate, nor give out any private info (especially your CC info) to anyone you don't know (no matter how much private info they seem to already have) to an unsolicited phone call. If you do, you've been scammed.

Even donations to worthy charities (there are not many of these that make blind phone calls), the money you give - typically 10% actually goes to the charity. The other 90% goes to the company that's been hired to solicit funds. You want to donate to a charity - do it direct - not via a sales call.
 
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These calls have been going on for years. There are Youtube videos of people stringing the callers along for a long time and just generally harassing them for fun.
These calls are almost as common as 419 emails and just as fun to seriously mess with them. Kinda like screwing around with telemarketers. :)
 
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Years and years and years Down Under cradom these have been the go, and usually start with an Asian voice (at least in our part of the world) "I am calling from Windows Technical Department about your computer".

There have been threads about them now 'being experts at removing viruses from Macs'.

My stock response "Wow you guys are clever. I do not have a computer ~ are you giving me a free one?" brings a smart click.
 

Slydude

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My mom has gotten a few of these calls recently. Didn't fool her for a minute. The closest thing she owns to a computer is a not so smart cell phone and a digital photo frame that doesn't connect to the internet.

She usually just hangs up on them. In my less charitable moments I've suggested that she get either a really loud whistle or one of those horns you often see at ball games. A blast or two of either one should make things interesting.
 
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Sly I am told that a press of the hash key produces a similar result.
 

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