U.S. works to shut down tech support scams that have cost millions - Polidicks

[quote]WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has taken steps to shut down several fake tech support scams that have cost consumers tens of millions of dollars, the Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday. In the scheme, six separate rings of scam artists, most in India, call people in the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere, identify themselves as working for reputable companies and ask the victim to check his or her computer. The consumers are then told their computer has a virus that can be removed for a fee of $49 to $450. FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz estimated that the scams had netted tens of millions of dollars. The FTC froze the U.S. assets of scam artists, had their websites taken down and convinced U.S. phone carriers to shut down services that allowed them to operate from India using U.S. telephone numbers. Five of the six groups telephoned consumers and claimed to be from legitimate companies such as Microsoft or Dell, while the sixth advertised through Google. There were 2,400 victims of these particular scams in the United States, although the FTC has received 40,000 complaints about this type of fraud. "This is a very widespread scam affecting hundreds of thousands of U.S. consumers," said David Vladeck, head of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.[/quote] [url=http://news.yahoo.com/u-works-shut-down-tech-support-scams-cost-184435873--finance.html]Source[/url] I got a few calls from these, one of them I almost fell for. Though some aren't very bright, with "Google Search" coming up on my Caller ID.

How about we fight this by increasing focus on advanced computer literacy in schools? [editline]3rd October 2012[/editline] As a wise man once said, "make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot"

I'm surprised that so many people fall for these, but then again I look at someone like my grandfather who can barely open his email without calling for step-by-step instructions.

[img]http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/finallyfast01.jpg[/img]

Are they going to get rid of Geek Squad?

I get these in the UK I just usually say "fuck off" and put the phone down, they're just exploiting people, they scammed my grandad out of some money for a service that is free anyway, I detest the kind of people that start up a "business" doing this.

[QUOTE=koeniginator;37899645]How about we fight this by increasing focus on advanced computer literacy in schools? [editline]3rd October 2012[/editline] As a wise man once said, "make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot"[/QUOTE] Won't work. The school system needs a massive overhaul before it's capable of teaching anything useful.

[QUOTE=Medevilae;37900008]Does not stop calls from organizations with which you have established a business relationship; calls for which you have given prior written permission; calls which are not commercial or do not include unsolicited advertisements; calls by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations. In other words things idiots sign up for unknowingly and nonprofits[/QUOTE] And more importantly, people who do not give a fuck because they are trying to scam people.

[QUOTE=TestECull;37900080]Won't work. The school system needs a massive overhaul before it's capable of teaching anything useful.[/QUOTE] I don't know, public school taught me pretty damn well how the world works.

Can they stop finally fast or any of those similar scams?

[QUOTE=supersnail11;37900700]Can they stop finally fast or any of those similar scams?[/QUOTE] Most of those, iirc, are just selling software that you could get for free. Programs such as registry fixers and anti-viruses. I still wish they could stop them though because it is fairly misleading and honestly really dumb.

I have to say that I DID have much fun with these people when they called but then Germany banned telephone sales marketing and basically anyone who you didn't give your number to personally from calling you and the stuff stopped. Positive: Less less prepared people falling for it Negative: I have less fun pretending I DID read my personal data right and the mooches are starting the "go from door to door" stuff again, my granny just recently bought a vacuum cleaner :I

[QUOTE=elfbarf;37900006][IMG]http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/finallyfast01.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] I dissagree, I went to finallyfast.com when my new pc wasn't running as fast as it used to and it removed my viruses and cleaned my ram.

[QUOTE=zakedodead;37901310]I dissagree, I went to finallyfast.com when my new pc wasn't running as fast as it used to and it removed my viruses and cleaned my ram.[/QUOTE] FinallyFast.com fixed my dog and cured my cancer!

I work in telesales (cold calling but selling Alarms in a fair not intrusive way), the TPS (telephone preference service is useless). Turn on Anonymous call baring to stop cold calls :)

[QUOTE=zakedodead;37901310]I dissagree, I went to finallyfast.com when my new pc wasn't running as fast as it used to and it removed my viruses and cleaned my ram.[/QUOTE] dude I went to that and on top of what it did for you it cured my anal warts [sub][sub][I]...did i say that out loud?...[/I][/sub][/sub]

I've had these before they're hilarious "excuse me, where are you calling from?" "uh, um, we are calling from microsoft"

[QUOTE=IliekBoxes;37900044]Are they going to get rid of Geek Squad?[/QUOTE] They really should, Geek Squad takes advantage of computer illiterate people. Hell I know someone that paid to have a few minor viruses cleaned off, and they charged quite a lot and only offered a trial of an anti virus.

[QUOTE=usaokay;37899842]Pretty sure there's a government sponsored website that stops telemarketers from calling your phone. [editline]3rd October 2012[/editline] [url]http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/do-not-call-list[/url] [editline]3rd October 2012[/editline] the official website [url]https://www.donotcall.gov/[/url][/QUOTE] My number SHOULD have a finnish version of that, phone-marketing prohibition or something. But that does shit all, I still get harassed daily. Some of them are really persistent and I pretty much have to just abruptly end the call myself to stop it.

[QUOTE=Turnips5;37902034]I've had these before they're hilarious "excuse me, where are you calling from?" "uh, um, we are calling from microsoft"[/QUOTE] They're actually very professional. They have call guys, and if someone falls for it they put on a more professional, trained scammer. A whole system's in place.

[url]http://www.downloadmoreram.com/[/url] is still up thank god

I had a call from "Microsoft" saying my computer hadnt been receiving windows updates. I told them my Windows was pirated so why would they care. Makes me angry though because someone like my Grandad could have been tricked by it, wankers.

Alas, my grandad was tricked too. I've had them phone me four or five times now. I've decided that to prevent them getting through others too quickly (and have a little fun at the same time) I'll lead the scammers into thinking I believe them, before dropping to 'Microsoft' that I am running Linux on this machine - 25 minutes into the call. Nothing as satisfying as that frustrated click.