Unfiltered Story #351305
[I work from home. A few years back there was a massive data breach for a particular internet provider in the UK, and from this scam companies were set up to prey on customers of said ISP (Internet Service Provider). For a short period my phones rings up to 5 times a day with calls from scammers, and usually I pick up, hear the first line of their scam, then hang up. One day, while I’m supposed to be doing my own work, the phone rings with another scam call. This time I take the time to mess with them.]
[Scammer]: Hello, this is [scammer] from [ISP], may I speak with Mr Rose [not my name]?
[Me]: This is him. How may I help?
[Scammer]: Well, Mr Rose, we are receiving information from your router that you have a virus on your computer that is also affecting your router and could be a threat to others in your area if this virus is transferred over the internet. Your IP address *[this is important]* is being flagged to us as the route of this problem. Would you be willing to help us fix this problem?
[me]: Of course, what do you need me to do?
[The caller then proceeds to list off things that I need to do, some of which sound perfectly feasible like checking running services and executables. I tell them that what they are looking for is there. It is not. I have significant firewalls and anti-virus protection due to having a work laptop, so this kind of things can’t happen, even if I accidentally click on bad links.]
[Scammer]: Ok, well, I now need to gain access to your computer to fix this probem…
[And there it is… the fatal operation]
[Me]: Why?
[Scammer]: I need to run the necessary processes to remove the virus from your computer.
[Me]: Why can’t I do them?
[Scammer]: It would be quicker and safer for me to take control of your computer and run through the steps as quickly as possible. Can you go to [website] and put in [username] and [password]. I also need you to provide me with your IP address for connection.
[Me]: *short pause* My IP address? I thought you already had that?
[Scammer]: We do, but this could have changed since the flag came up.
[Me]: It hasn’t; I have a static IP.
[Scammer]: It is just a precaution. Please give me your IP address. If we do not get this fixed you may be liable for damages and we will have to call in our legal team.
[Me]: Then I would like to speak to legal. Or your supervisor.
[I am put on hold for a couple of minutes]
[Scammer #2]: Hello, this is [scammer]’s supervisor. He tells me you are not providing your IP address.
[Me]: This is correct. He told me he had my IP address, then asked for it.
[Scammer #2]: 1 second please… *puts me on “hold”, but I can hear him berating the other scammer about the IP address thing, then returns* This is just a precaution. Please provide the IP address so we can corroborate the evidence.
[Me]: No.
[Scammer #2]: Then we will have to get our legal team involved.
[They seem triumphant, thinking this will scare me.]
[Me]: Ok. Please pass me over to them.
[Scammer #2]: Or you could just give us the IP address.
[Me]: I’d rather talk to legal
[Scammer #2]: BUT YOU COULD BE IN TROUBLE
[Me]: I’m not. You’re trying to scam people into giving you remote access to their computers to steal data. I have done nothing your colleague asked me to do. I have spent the last 20 minutes wasting your time so you I could have saved someone more vulnerable. My IP address has nothing to do with a hypothetical virus which couldn’t have come from my computer in the first place. Never call this number again.
[Scammer #2] YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM! *click*
[I told my boss about it and he was happy I spent that 20 minutes doing what I did. He said he does the same thing! Stay safe when companies cold call you claiming that something is going technologically wrong. Always ask them to provide all the details about you, and don’t tell them anything. If they get one bit of information wrong, hang up.]
