Thanks, Yahoo.
Being ex-directory, I wondered how these wonkers in India or Pakistan, pretending to be Norton, knew what my name was.
Though they don't all read it properly......"Hello, Mr Leevis, this is Norton"....."No you're not !.....**** off !!"........Click.
Must have had 30 or more calls in the past three weeks.....Just let them go to the ansaphone, normally.
Answered a few, to mess them about....But they WILL NOT take the hint.
Cheers - Phil. (Who's off to check if his Yahoo a/c still actually works......Haven't used it for AGES !)
We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then >:(
*tut*
Do you know what's fun? Ringing Techno up and putting on a stupid accent. Nearly had him sell me his MiL the other week.
The thing that worries me is that I'm not sure who owns what anymore. If you use Flicka, then isn't that a Yahoo owned thingy nowadays? One may inadvertently have ones data stored by Yahoo for all to pinch.
Quote from: fsn on 23 September 2016, 06:44:32 AM
Do you know what's fun? Ringing Techno up and putting on a stupid accent. Nearly had him sell me his MiL the other week.
It never works, Nobby.
"The Oik from Runcorn", showing on the caller display, is too much of a giveaway. ;)
Quote from: Steve J on 23 September 2016, 06:32:51 AM
We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then >:(
Auto dial machines from overseas......Don't you just LOVE them. >:( >:( >:( >:(
Cheers - Phil
Having had some completely nonsensical crud from 'Yahoo' after changing my password....(I'm pretty sure it WAS them...But I'm not taking the risk)....I've deleted that account, too.
Doing well, this year. :D
Dropped eBay, Paypal and now one of my spare e'mail addys. (Yahoo...as mentioned).
Soon be back to using a fax machine.....And a good job too. :P....(Fekk al these intraweb companies.)
Cheers - Phil ;)
Quote from: Steve J on 23 September 2016, 06:32:51 AM
We're ex-directory and also that telephone call barring thingy to stop cold calling. However we still get the odd call now and then >:(
We are the same and like you still get the occasional call. What the cheeky gits are doing now is they are phoning from wherever but somehow the call has been routed somehow and the the number displayed will have your local STD code, thus making you more inclined to take the call.
The Telephone Preference Service at:
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html
There is also more information here:
http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/can-i-stop-unwanted-direct-marketing
MickS
Funny enough, I've had the opposite experience - since I moved from Demon to BTInternet a few weeks ago I've been bombarded with email spam (the 4th email I received on my new address, before I'd sent out a single one, was spam... The other 3 were confirmations of changes). But in the past week it's all tailed off.
I am a Yahoo! Groups user, but I can't remember having anything but the most basic info there. Certainly not a telephone number, although I also get constant cold calls, often daily (and I'm on the TPS as well).
The trouble I find is that when you get an unexpected call from a genuine caller who's number you don't recognise you get very defensive.
Ring! Ring
Orcs: (very gruff voice ) Hello!
Caller: is that Mr Webb?
Orcs:(very gruff cautious voice ) Why! :-\
Callers: Its the X bank I need to speak to him about his account
Orcs. :(very very gruff sarcastic voice voice ) You do, do you? :-\ :-\
Caller: I just need to go through some security checks.
Orcs. :(very very gruff pissed off voice ) hang on , you called me! I think I need to do some security checks so you can prove who you are. >:(
Caller: I am sorry I can't give out any information
Orcs. :(very angry voice ) Well you can F**k Off then (Orcs hangs phone up, unable to slam these new fangled DEC phones down) >:( >:(
Ring! Ring !
Caller is that Mr Webb?
Orcs. :(very angry voice ) F**k Off you stupid B*tch >:( >:( >:( >:(
Ring! Ring!
Caller(obviously upset and in very rushed manner) Mr Webb Its Katie from X Bank. the replacement card you requested is being sent out today.
Orcs: ( very embarrassed and humble voice) Oh I am very sorry, I thought you were a nuisance call :-[
Caller (Katie now sniffing and wiping her eyes) Its ok Mr Webb it happens quit a lot
Orcs hangs up feeling a bit of a Sh*t
Being in the final stages of the national election, we have robo-calls queued up for a chance at us. We have turned off the ringer and once a day the missus empties the voice mail. If friend or family want us they'll send a raven.
Orcs - I like your style! :)
Its unlikely to be the Yahoo hack - this sort of thing has been going on years. Phone numbers are out there, and also easy to work out. Like email spam they can try every possible combo, as there is no charge for failures.
Our phone shows 'International' - we usually avoid those. Sometimes I'll play; How long can you keep the scammer going "I need you to do this in Windows." [pouring tea] "yes I'm doing it." "No, can you do x y z" "I am."
Or give a weird answer. Picks up phone "I've done what you've asked, but there is blood everywhere" Puts phone down.
Before we were married, people would assume I was my wife's ex, so ask for Mr G.. I once handed the phone to my Stepson, who is Mr G. After 10 minutes he said "I'm only 14, I don't think my pocket money can afford double glazing"
I got a call supposedly asking me to rate my experience visiting my bank's local branch. I asked "Which branch was that?" and the girl told me a branch I haven't been to in years, although it is the closest to my post code. I told her to go away, but fortunately more politely than usual, as it turns out she was genuine, and the bank had given her the wrong information!
But, yes, I do love stringing them along. Especially the ones asking for IP addresses. I usually give the IP address of the firewall in the government office where I work...
My dad managed to string a Windows scammer along for about 15 minutes before saying "How do you know this- my computer isn't on"
Best questions are :-
My computer - which one
Which version of Windows
What type is it
IanS
Ring, ring
9819
Good day to you sir, my name is Kevin (unlikely his mother calls him that from the accent but who knows) and I'm phoning on behalf of Microsoft ...
(Interrupting the speil) ... and what would Microsoft want with me?
Sir, we have detected a problem with your computer ...
Oh, I'm so glad you called, I'm no good with computers, son. (Despite over 30 years working in IT :) )
Several minutes elapse purportedly getting to the computer and turning it on.
Now Sir, if you click on the Start button ...
Dinnae think Ah hiv wonnie those, son (Cod Scottish accent now rivals that of Scotty from Star Trek and much mutual incomprehension ensues to general amusement .... well at this end at least)
What version of Windows do you have Sir?
Double glazed
No sir, on your computer, what version of Windows do you have?
Ah dinnae hiv Windaes, son
Oh, you're on a Mac then ...
Naw son, Ah'm no Mac onythin'
What version of the Mac operating system are you using, Sir?
Ah dinnae think mah Amstrad uses onything Mac dis it no use CP/M?
Why ae you wasting my time you firkin bar steward (I may have misheard that - the accent thing was regularly foxing both of us :) )
Also .... what happened to "Sir" then?
:d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D not AMSDOS then? ;)
AWESOME !!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
(I tried to con Nobby this afternoon......But even with my awfully overdone Asian accent, he knew it was me straight away.......OIK !!)
Cheers - Phil
I used to talk to them for a long as possible, but that got boring, now I just say, "it's my grandson's computer thing, I'll go and get him." , then put the phone on the table and walk off, periodically I pick the phone up and say things like "he won't be a minute" and "It must be about those rude pictures he's always looking at".
Eventually they hang up.
After 3 calls within an hour on Friday, (All silent hang-ups) they've given up for the time being. (Famous last words. X_X)
I might try the 'leaving the phone on the table for as long as possible' trick, next time. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Last Hussar on 24 September 2016, 11:54:58 AM
My dad managed to string a Windows scammer along for about 15 minutes before saying "How do you know this- my computer isn't on"
The greatest fun I had was when they tried that on me.
"we've detected a problem with your pc, you need to do this to your windows, I can he-"
"I don't use windows."
"Er..I meant Linux. You have to let me do thi-"
"Nope, don't use Linux either."
"Is it a mac?"
"You're just reaching now aren't you?"
"sorry." *click*
Almost as much fun as the time I got blacklisted by the Jehovah's Witnesses, they wouldn't send anyone out to see me anymore after I convinced not one couple, but two, to leave their church. Even had the higher-ups from the south east england HQ come down to tell me why.
Damn, i think on a JW blacklist, but I've never managed to get amnyone to leave the church!
I could well be on a JW blacklist somewhere -we haven't had any call in four and half years.
MickS
We're really too far out of the way, over here. They have to walk hundreds of yards between each house/farm...Though they did come round on one occasion.
We just politely asked them not to bother, and they've never returned.
I do remember (must be almost 40 years ago now...Von & I were still living in our first home together ) one knocking on the door and showing me a page of their latest leaflet.
"Isn't this a wonderful creation ?....A diagram of the human eye." Says she.
Seeing as I passed A level Zoology, I DO know the difference between a cross section of the human eye and a cross section of the female reproductive system. (I think virtually anyone would spot that the latter didn't bear a great deal of resemblance to an eye.) X_X
I didn't correct her though. =)
Cheers - Phil
I used to share a house with a very very very lovely Christian lass,
Anytime we had a caller it was: "Nick, it's for you!" And she would emerge to talk God/s, armed with her bible and the fallacy of their arguements. 😈
The Witnesses are generally very pleasant, and are always willing to say 'bye and go when asked. The double glazing salesmen and the cavity wall insulation salesmen however...
We used to set Nick on them too! ;D
"Can I speak to the man of the house?"
"GOD IS THE MAN OF THE HOUSE! AND SHE IS A WOMAN!"
Our classic was "Is your mum in?"
House of students: "NICK,"
She's never forgiven us...
Ring Ring
(Daughter answers)
(Foreign accent - probably midlands) 'Can I speak to Mr Henry'
(Daughter) 'Can I inquire as to the nature of this call'
(Caller) 'Its his bank here'
(Daughter) 'Wait a moment please, I'll just get him'
Daughter puts phone on hold, makes cup of tea, does some baking, has a shower ...
Stop it ! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I now WANT them to phone me again.
Cheers - Phil