Indian Call centres and computer problems

[petefj]

Is anyone else on this group getting calls from an  Indian Call Centre stating that your computer might be infected with a virus, and they have just the piece of software to cure it?

If you string them on they will ask you to open the system log, where needless to say there any many errors showing, usually because the operator has closed a program down too quickly or the computer for one of many reasons has failed to complete an instruction or something very similar, and this they will tell you is proof of a virus.  They then, on payment of £47 get you to download a key logger and at that point you are sunk.

For some reason I get these calls about once a week, and speaking to friends here in the West Country they are quite a common feature.  One friend of mine attempted to cure the problem by stringing them along, and then telling them that their instructions had caused the computer to make a funny noise.  "What sort of noise" asked the Call Centre operative, at which point my friend blew, as hard as he could, a dog training whistle down the telephone.  What this did to the operator at the other end with a set of ear phones on, I just can't imagine.

I've tried insulting them, swearing at them, telling them to go away, all to no avail.  They call back week after week.  There's no keeping them away once they've got your number.

So be warned, they're out there, and after your money.

Peter

[petefj]

[pumkinlover]

Thanks for the warning. Have you registered with the Telephone Preference service? although it does not apply out of the UK it does seem to help as up to now -tempting fate here we do not get them from abroad.

[Kea]

You should also notify the police. We had a warning about this one from our local police force via ecops.

[queenbee]

I tell them that I am a pensioner and do not have a computer, They just hang up on me.