Important: Nurofen Plus & Bogus Microsoft phone calls

[SamLouise]

Firstly, I have just seen on the news that the manufacturers of Nurofen Plus have put out a warning as there's been a mix up during packaging and some of the boxes have anti-psychotics in them - please check your tablets before taking!

Edit:  Here's a link with a bit more info including batch numbers to check:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14666291

Secondly, and this has also been confirmed (before you all going charging off to Snopes) There's currently a wave of bogus phone callers pretending to be from Microsoft, calling people's homes and telling them that there are problems with their home computers (don't ask me why/how/who would believe it over the phone) and that they need to install LogMeIn so that access to the computer can be granted and the rest you can probably imagine. I think this also did the rounds earlier in the year but seems to be happening again.

I wanted to link you to a phone recording that my husband managed to get a couple of days ago so you all could have a listen but I forgot :-[ and now he's away for ten days.

Anyway, whilst most of us are computer savvy, we may have friends/parents/work colleagues etc etc who are not and it's just worth tipping them the nod.

Well now, I feel that's earned me a piece of chocolate.

Edit:  This is happening outside of the UK too.

 

[SamLouise]

[betula]

Thanks for the info SL.

[brownowl23]

ive had loads of those microsoft calls and they are pretty persistent guys and girls. Even telling them my OH is a computer software engineer doesnt stop them in thier tracks.

I did once trace the phone number  it was for a cpmany somewhere in Norfolk but I cant remeber the name.

[Jeannine]

I got an odd call just yesterday, The man could barely speak English and was muttering soemthing about security, I didn't know what kind he meant as he was so hard to understand..he started by asking me "what kind of security I had on ?...couldn't get the next bit.. I told him I wouldn't answer a question about security on the phone anyway and hung up..is this likely to be it, it was certainly very odd.

XX Jeannine

[grannyjanny]

I get the phone calls too. We've also been getting lots of calls from abroad from very foreign sounding people with very English names.

[Bugloss2009]

I had one yesterday, but i told him to erm go away before he got into the spiel, which starts with your computer seems to be infected with a virus/malware etc

Virgin did send out a warning of malware infection to specific customers earlier this year by the way
http://www.thinq.co.uk/2011/6/17/virgin-informs-thousands-malware-infection/

[luckycharlie]

 

I had one the other day Told him I was 90 and didn't have a computer said it was lovely to talk to someone and how was he. He  put the  phone down!!!!!  ;D ;D

  This always seems to work.


x Chas

[Bugloss2009]

well a friend who had one of these calls last month was on the phone for ages with them, and only got rid of him on the basis he would phone back  :o so whatever c0bblers they come out with it must be convincing, confusing, or worrying, if they pick on the right person

[brownowl23]

bugloss they are to the uniitiated very convincing and even to those who are they are very very persistant. However at the same time very very vague of you ask them questions.

[busy_lizzie]

I got the Microsoft one last week. I couldn't really make out everything he was saying because his accent was so thick. I told him our computer was operating perfectly and didn't require any of his services, and eventually had to put the phone down on him as he was so persistant. Interesting to hear it is quite widespread. Thanks for alerting everybody Sam. busy_lizzie

[lincsyokel2]

Yes I had LOADSA fun stringing one along. I didnt let on i'd worked half my life i nIT, so  i played the dumb non-techie,  and the BS and cobblers this guy talked was  unbelieveable, a load of complete rubbish.

I managed to string him along for three days and  five phone calls before he realised he wasnt going to get a red cent out of me and gave up.

[Spudbash]

Yes, thanks, SamLouise. I had a call from Malcolm somebody-or-other yesterday - a very persistent fellow with a strong Indian accent. In fact, he was so persistent, I can't even remember what he was calling about!  ;D

[Digeroo]

I had one a couple of weeks ago from a John.  Also very strong accent, said he was not trying to sell me anything but told me I had a virus on my computer.

Woke me up from my afternoon ziz, so not very polite. ::)

[BarriedaleNick]

Someone from work actually fell for the bogus MS caller thing and gave them access to her PC (at home).  Luckily she had second thoughts and rang one of my techs and she pulled the plug before any damage was done.  I'm not sure what they are trying put on your PC but you cant bet that it isn't good.

[lincsyokel2]

Someone from work actually fell for the bogus MS caller thing and gave them access to her PC (at home).  Luckily she had second thoughts and rang one of my techs and she pulled the plug before any damage was done.  I'm not sure what they are trying put on your PC but you cant bet that it isn't good.

what they do is inject a keylogger - this then send everything you type back to them, ie passwords etc. So if you do online banking yhey empty your account or steal your credit card details.

[Alex133]

I have the same approach with cold callers by phone or on doorstep "No thanks" & phone down or door shut.

[lincsyokel2]

I have the same approach with cold callers by phone or on doorstep "No thanks" & phone down or door shut.

before my son moved out I used to pass the phone to him. He kept many Double Glazing Salesmen on the line for ages  before they remembered to ask if he was the householder.

[tomatoada]

I sometimes say I am the cleaning lady . 

[goodlife]

I just had to call my sister back in Finland..she bought several packets of Nurofen plus when she was visiting me earlier on summer. Over the counter medicines are much cheaper here so everytime she comes she stack up her supplys..somebody was happy about that telephone call.. ::)
I don't know yet if her packets are from the lot that was pulled out of market or not.

[gavinjconway]

I've also had quite a few (like 40) calls about my PC security problems...

I normally say  "really thats odd... I dont own one" ... then click...

or I say I'm recording this call for verification purposes - it also works...

I also strung a few along for about half an hour with all sorts of questions and just letting them take me through the process to see what they would end up doing or asking me to download etc....  They must have been rubbing their hands with anticipation.. When they said I needed to go to their website and download a fix i just said.... "Do you think I'm ******* stupid... I'm a computer engineer and my PC is fine" .. click they were gone.

I like having fun at someone elses expense..

They are so clever with their questions and explinations and anyone could be fooled by them.. Grrrrrrrr