Just got a call from Tech or Techy Support.. the man had a quite an accent, and it wasn't Texan.

[nenagh]

he said my computer is totally compromised. Told me my address over the phone. Said that my computer is compromised by viruses. And hackers are using my information to run their programs.

I said.. Where are you located? He said Texas...

I said... What do you think of Rick Perry?

He said ... Who is Rick Perry...

Told him that if he didn't know the governor of his own state who is running for president... he is not from Texas.

I'm in Canada.. and he told me the Bell system I am using is not up to fixing the problem.

Wonder how much money he would have charged to fix it..

Told him I would consult my son who is in the IT business...

and he hung up.

Just writing... because this must be a racket... :)

[canetoad]

1. Yep, definitely a racket

I've read stories of phones calls saying they were from Microsoft, various anti virus companies, all with one aim; to get you to invite them to remotely access your machine.

[nenagh]

2. Thank you so much for answering..

First of all there was background noise, as if he was calling from a call center. His accent was perhaps from India..

I think that is exactly what he was trying to get.. remote access to my computers, from his line of chat.

The caller first tries to raise your level of panic.. "I know your address & postal code" and I think the intimation was that they/others know where I went on the computer..Because the thought flashed through my mind, imagine if I was on porn sites, it would be embarrassing, but they are going to read a lot of DU instead :)

But that would be threat enough to some.

Appreciate your reducing my anxiety level, thanks again.

[Occulus]

3. This is a serious scam that needs to somehow be shut down.

The virus writers have gotten wealthy enough that they can hire actual people to call you from overseas and convince you your computer has malware/viruses/trojans.

This is bad, really really bad. Worse even than those popups that say your PC is infected and you should run their scan, only to have their "scan" INFECT YOUR PC!

Then they extort $80 from gullible marks to "fix" the "problem".

Thanks for posting this. People, if someone calls you on your phone telling you your computer is infected, no matter HOW much personal info they have on your location, your IP address, etc..... it's a scam. Period.

[hobbit709]

4. Was his name "Peggy"?

[nenagh]

5. thanks again...

I contacted Bell, here in Canada, I think I have the phone number the caller gave me & gave it to a Bell representative who said that was a Texas area code.. probably being accessed from somewhere else.

Bell Co, said that yesterday they had a call about the same scam. I am to call Bell's anti fraud Dept after work.

Thank you for the info... the caller was male...and I have to thank my many years on DU.. for asking him.. who is Rick Perry??

The truth is that their pitch is directed to a person in such a way as to panic a person.. I suppose their next step would be to try to get a person's credit card number.

No Peggy's :) Thanks again....