Posted on 01/31/2022 8:24:13 AM PST by ThunderSleeps
Just got one of those texts about a suspicious Amazon purchase - which of course is not actually Amazon.
The scam goes, you call the number, their cyber team will "help" you clear the charge. All you need to do is install this app that allows their team to remote control your computer or phone and they'll clear things right up.
I don't know if it's because I had a fun weekend, a good night's sleep last night, or just 'cause it is Monday... I'm in the mood to mess with these people some. Sometime today I'm going to grab my old laptop and boot it from a thumb drive into Linux. It doesn't have anything on it at all, but the thumb-boot is an extra layer of security. Then I'll use one of the internet phone calling sites to call the scammers. Then I think I'm just going to play dumb and string them along for as long as I can. See if I can get them frustrated enough to hang up on me.
Any ideas on things I should do or say? I'm figuring I can play off on the "Can't find start menu" theme for a bit. Then maybe "Oh wait, it's running an update, just a moment." Then maybe "let me check my router/firewall settings." Or "Just a moment, I have another call..." Or the always frustrating "Yes, I did X, Y, and Z...you can't see it, cannot connect?" Maybe if they eventually catch on give them something to worry about. "Ha, enjoy. I completed my backtrace a few minutes ago. Just have to set up my bots for a distributed denial of service attack on you, good luck..."
Bkmrk for updates
If you want to truly insult a South Asian (most of these scammers work at India and Paki bucket shops) you make comments about their sisters.
Watch the fireworks....
It helps if you act panicked.
We sometimes screw with these guys just to see who can get cussed out or how long we can occupy their time. Warranty companies have been bad lately. They call me and find I’ve had every car on the planet.
I was giving one group of jackasses test credit card numbers. That set them off because I acted like I couldn’t hear them and made them repeat everything multiple times.
There are guys online who have posted videos where they’ve set up VMs and stuff just to try and hack the scammers.
How one man turns the tables on identity thieves and scammers who target the elderly
https://www.fox13news.com/news/how-one-man-turns-the-tables-on-identity-thieves-and-scammers-who-target-the-elderly
Pierogi
https://twitter.com/ScammerPayback?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Make sure you provide them with specific FBI emails so when they start spamming the FBI has to deal with it.
Call him a Ban Chod, that will surely get him going
I think you are playing with fire.
I understand you wanting to mess with them, but they may be more sophisticated than you give them credit for.
Are you SURE thee is nothing on that computer. You may think you have wiped it (you mean, like with a cloth? /s) but there are ways to get data even after that.
And will they be accessing your network? That could lead to all kinds of issues.
If you have nothing tangible to gain, I would pursue more value-added efforts. But that’s just me. It’s your life.
“’Vengeance is mine’, says the Lord”. Rom 12:19
If they ask you to click “My Computer” ( tell them you are on Windows 7), say “ why am I clicking on your computer, it is my computer you want” Then just keep going round saying “Why do you keep saying to click on your computer. I don’t understand”
Stutter a lot and make up words.
I wish I could remember the screen name of the FR poster who did a long-running thread on his “scam the scammer” from back when they were based in Africa, instead of S. Asia. It was hilarious & I wish you similar success.
I’ve been getting requests to “complet” a “survy” to win up to a $100 Walmart gift certificate. Sent from a UK email address and includes a Medley, FL street address.
You’d think presumably English-speaking scammers would at least be able to spell, or able to run a spellcheck before they send out their spam. Likely both are fake however.
Do,what the grandma did and tell,themscammers that theymhave to meet with you because you are,disabled and can’t get to,the post office, but give them the address of the loval,local, station, or have the police waiting for them to show up
The booting from a thumb drive on an old laptop is merely insurance against any kind of back-trace through the internet phone site. That represents my distrust of those sites.
Just thought of another way to freak them out. Tell them "Just a moment, I have to put you on hold." Then pretend to accidentally double-tap the mute button and appear to say to someone else in the room: "Can you tell those fraud division guys to hurry up with the trace? I don't know how much longer I can keep this fool on the line. Tom's group is already ahead of us on arrests this quarter."
I think it was lowbridge
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