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Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/13/2011
by mjbad2
Scam update
Pat Foran has a recording of a telephone scam from a fake computer support agent who has conned some out of money.

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I have been receiving calls from this company/scammers. After I told him that I know you are a scammer he started abusing me in his Indian language.

Now the caller ID is

91754

But I am sure previous caller has ID 4169608669.


Now they are harassing me every two mts with a call.

Could you find out who/what number they are calling?

Re: Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/14/2011
by FONGO_steve
This seems to be a very popular phone scam going on throughout Ontario (maybe all of Canada?) right now.

I've read a couple articles in the news paper about it, seen some complaints in other non-telco forums I visit, and also gotten several calls myself. The scammers essentially put a virus on your computer once you help them "login to fix your problems".

As a general reminder for all of our readers, never give out personal information or access to your computer to somebody you don't know or somebody who isn't sitting in the room with you. These phone scammers are simply auto-dialling every number in the books, telling the person they have a virus and that they can help, and then gaining access to personal information once the person lets them "help".

If you're on the CRTC Do Not Call list, then you can file a complaint through them.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre can also be used to file a complaint against them:
http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/

Re: Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/14/2011
by mjbad2
How can I complain as caller ID is 4-5 digits?

Re: Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/14/2011
by TheHardy
mjbad2 wrote:How can I complain as caller ID is 4-5 digits?
Is that the main point of your post, other than issuing a warning to us?

Are you asking FPL to pull your incoming call records for a certain date/time and see if there is more information contained therein that may assist you in getting the Identity of your caller?

I am not sure if Steve would be able to do this for you or if you would need to file a complaint with either your local police agency or regulatory authority to "compel" FPL to legally provide this information DIRECTLY to them.

Is that what you are asking? Or have I read too much/not enough into this?

Re: Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/14/2011
by FONGO_steve
TheHardy is correct - we are unable to provide any information like this to anyone other than the authorities with a proper warrant.

Even if the caller ID is short, still file a complaint with the appropriate agencies. There's much more than caller ID that these agencies can use to investigate.

Re: Scam update: telephone scam from a fake computer support

Posted: 09/14/2011
by TheHardy
Thanks Steve for confirming my hunch. Hope you didn't feel like I was stepping on your toes, but I thought that I could lead it in the proper direction prior to your response. I think that we can all agree that these sort of scams are detrimental to ALL involved.

That said, I am not sure if this rises to the level of a POLICE complaint, but perhaps a complaint to PHONEBUSTERS? (www.phonebusters.com)

Would a complaint to them then follow on with them requesting the relevant information from FPL? I imagine it would, but I have no direct experience with this sort of scam (yet-touch wood).