I have just been phished again

[lynnerself]

I just got a call from "Microsoft support" . I didn't even listen to the script this time. Just told them not to bother me.
I got a couple of these a few months ago.
They always seem to call in the middle of the afternoon, not in the evening when DH is home.
Has anyone else had this one lately?

[wodehouse]

ask them if they wish you to bill them by the minute, or with an annual subscription.

You can't speak with them unless they have a subscription.

[Bob Ross]

Tell them that you only deal with Nigerian princes.

[Deleted]

I had the same call a few months ago. I kind of felt sorry for the guy because he was new at the rip off game & didn't have any quick comebacks.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Yeah....I've gotten this twice in the last couple months.  I think that the first time, I laughed outright at the guy and he got upset at me.  The second time, I asked the guy how much he got paid to try to scam customers.  He hung up on me.

[Deleted]

It seems to me that we are missing an opportunity here. Why not say "I'm sorry but my spouse has the computer (& I'm sure that he would want to know), could you give them a call at................Then give them either the number of the police department or the FBI number.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 2, 2013 14:43:26 GMT -5 lynnerself said:

I just got a call from "Microsoft support" . I didn't even listen to the script this time. Just told them not to bother me.
I got a couple of these a few months ago.
They always seem to call in the middle of the afternoon, not in the evening when DH is home.
Has anyone else had this one lately?

Are you signed up on the Do Not Call list?    I just wondered if that is helpful or not for this.

THANKS!

[marvholly]

I AM on the DNC list and still get 1-2 calls/day. Mostly robo calls or people 'claiming' to be a chrity (exempt).

Latest was local newspaper. Since I did do business w/hem they DO have the right to call BUT 3 calls in 35 hr is WAAAY too much. Told them if they call again I'm filing harassment charges.

[happyscooter]

We are getting calls from security systems companies.  3-4 times a week.  Sometimes more.

[sesfw]

I received a call from 'medi-alert' and the guy told me that he had a paid for order to get it installed.  I told him he had the wrong number and asked what name was on the account.  He then told me a relative had purchased it for me and I asked for that name.  He told me it was all paid for and he wanted to schedule installation.  I asked again for a name of the account and he tip-toed around that.

I hung up on him.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 3, 2013 6:15:27 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I AM on the DNC list and still get 1-2 calls/day. Mostly robo calls or people 'claiming' to be a chrity (exempt).

Latest was local newspaper. Since I did do business w/hem they DO have the right to call BUT 3 calls in 35 hr is WAAAY too much. Told them if they call again I'm filing harassment charges.

Wow. That's a lot!

I used to get calls from a local glass company ALL the time, for a windshield replacement with a lifetime guarantee. I had already had them replace my windshield, and it leaked, ever since it was put in. I took my car back, and was told they couldn't/wouldn't help me, so it made me mad to keep getting their sales calls.
Eventually they did end up fixing it. (They quit calling too!)

Now I mostly get calls from banks and collection agencies, with the wrong number. Of course they never believe their info is wrong, so it's hard to get them to stop.  Any suggestions? Can you file harassment charges for something like this? (Or threaten to)

[marvholly]

too much

When it comes to banks & collection agencies get the mailing addy and send a certified letter DEMANDING they validate within 30 days. Then if they do not/cannot you can haul their.....bottoms into small claims court for credit practices violations. Check this out on creditboars.com. Theye will have sample letter and how to follow up info.

Alo, have you checked your crdit reports w/ALL 3 major agencies this year? You do NOT want these dings on your report.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 5, 2013 6:24:56 GMT -5 marvholly said:

too much

When it comes to banks & collection agencies get the mailing addy and send a certified letter DEMANDING they validate within 30 days. Then if they do not/cannot you can haul their.....bottoms into small claims court for credit practices violations. Check this out on creditboars.com. Theye will have sample letter and how to follow up info.

Alo, have you checked your crdit reports w/ALL 3 major agencies this year? You do NOT want these dings on your report.

Thanks for the info!

No. It actually never even occurred to me that they would be on my credit report, since they didn't have anything to do with me. But now that you mention it, I can see that I clearly need to! OMGosh!

Thanks for the heads-up!

[happyscooter]

DEAR ABBY: I'm hoping you will pass this on to your readers. Many of us these days have to work two jobs to make ends meet. In addition to a full-time job, I work a second one in a call center. Yes, I'm one of those dreaded people who call and ask you to do a phone survey.
What I would like to remind everyone is that we are just people on the other end of the line. I have been cursed at and called names you can't print in your column. I have had the phone slammed in my ear. A little courtesy would go a long way.

If you don't want to participate in the survey, that's fine. We understand that. But have the guts to say, "Not interested" or "No, thank you," and show a little respect. We're simply trying to do a job, earn a living and pay our bills like everybody else. -- HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED

DEAR HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED: I am not excusing poor manners, and I do sympathize with your position. But when companies make these incessant calls, they are entering people's homes without being invited, and it can make some of them very angry, particularly if they have been interrupted while eating, working, napping or caregiving.

The people you call might be less hostile if they hadn't been called repeatedly and asked to participate in these surveys after they had refused four, five or six times and had asked not to be called again. They might be more polite if they hadn't registered on a "Do Not Call" list that was ignored.

[toomuchreality]

Aug 7, 2013 10:05:03 GMT -5 happyscooter said:

DEAR ABBY: I'm hoping you will pass this on to your readers. Many of us these days have to work two jobs to make ends meet. In addition to a full-time job, I work a second one in a call center. Yes, I'm one of those dreaded people who call and ask you to do a phone survey.
What I would like to remind everyone is that we are just people on the other end of the line. I have been cursed at and called names you can't print in your column. I have had the phone slammed in my ear. A little courtesy would go a long way.

If you don't want to participate in the survey, that's fine. We understand that. But have the guts to say, "Not interested" or "No, thank you," and show a little respect. We're simply trying to do a job, earn a living and pay our bills like everybody else. -- HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED

DEAR HAPPY TO BE EMPLOYED: I am not excusing poor manners, and I do sympathize with your position. But when companies make these incessant calls, they are entering people's homes without being invited, and it can make some of them very angry, particularly if they have been interrupted while eating, working, napping or caregiving.

The people you call might be less hostile if they hadn't been called repeatedly and asked to participate in these surveys after they had refused four, five or six times and had asked not to be called again. They might be more polite if they hadn't registered on a "Do Not Call" list that was ignored.

A friend/neighbor of mine makes those survey calls.
Even before I knew that, I usually would answer the survey calls I believed were real. (They have never asked for any personal information.) If I feel at all uncomfy, I have the option to stop at any time. Plus I just feel sorry for them. It's not a job I would want. If they don't get a certain number of people to answer the survey, they lose their job. So if I'm not busy, I answer the survey. That is, unless they come across pushy. I don't like that.

[lynnerself]

I think there is a difference between a legitimate survey, a sales call and a scam.

I had a cousin with a severely disabled child. And the only work she could do was sales calls from home. Ever since then I have been a lot more patient. No messing around with the caller.

I may answer a legit survey.
A sales call, I am polite but breif. Just say no thanks.

But a known scam, I am not afraid to be rude.