I got a call from "windows support" today telling me I had a problem
with my machine. Normally I just tell them to perform an unnatural act
with their mother but today I decided I would play along as long as
they would let me. This "english as a second language" guy gave me the
"grave danger pitch and then started telling me to type in a web
address and I said it keeps saying "bad file or command name". He
asked what was on my PC screen and I said "C:"
They had me reboot a couple times and I made that take a long time,
"wait, I need to set the clock" etc. They got second level involved
and he asked how I get to the internet and I said I just use E-mail.
He asked how I do that and I said AOL.
He kept telling me there must be an internet address bar there and I
said I don't see one and I have never used it.
He asked what version of AOL I was using and I said I don't see a
version, it just says "AOL for DOS".
He asked what kind of machine I had and I said "IBM Personal Computer
XT".
I acted confused when they asked me about the OS. I said it was the
one that was on it when I bought the machine in 1985. After a minute
or two of violent keyboard clicking I said "DOS 2.1"
After another guy got on the phone, they finally asked me if I had
windows and I told them "no, that was the tool of satan". They hung
up.

I tied up 2 or 3 guys for 15 minutes.
Maybe they will take me off their list now.

On 5/9/2016 4:18 PM, wrote:
I got a call from "windows support" today telling me I had a problem
with my machine. Normally I just tell them to perform an unnatural act
with their mother but today I decided I would play along as long as
they would let me. This "english as a second language" guy gave me the
"grave danger pitch and then started telling me to type in a web
address and I said it keeps saying "bad file or command name". He
asked what was on my PC screen and I said "C:"
They had me reboot a couple times and I made that take a long time,
"wait, I need to set the clock" etc. They got second level involved
and he asked how I get to the internet and I said I just use E-mail.
He asked how I do that and I said AOL.
He kept telling me there must be an internet address bar there and I
said I don't see one and I have never used it.
He asked what version of AOL I was using and I said I don't see a
version, it just says "AOL for DOS".
He asked what kind of machine I had and I said "IBM Personal Computer
XT".
I acted confused when they asked me about the OS. I said it was the
one that was on it when I bought the machine in 1985. After a minute
or two of violent keyboard clicking I said "DOS 2.1"
After another guy got on the phone, they finally asked me if I had
windows and I told them "no, that was the tool of satan". They hung
up.

I tied up 2 or 3 guys for 15 minutes.
Maybe they will take me off their list now.



I did a similar thing with them a few months ago. Didn't play the DOS
thing but acted like I was a really old geyser who didn't understand
how to use a computer. He'd give me an instruction to do something and
I'd stall, ask him to explain how to do what he wanted, etc. After
about 5 minutes I told him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. He
responded with a similar recommendation and hung up.

On Mon, 9 May 2016 16:28:19 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 5/9/2016 4:18 PM, wrote:
I got a call from "windows support" today telling me I had a problem
with my machine. Normally I just tell them to perform an unnatural act
with their mother but today I decided I would play along as long as
they would let me. This "english as a second language" guy gave me the
"grave danger pitch and then started telling me to type in a web
address and I said it keeps saying "bad file or command name". He
asked what was on my PC screen and I said "C:"
They had me reboot a couple times and I made that take a long time,
"wait, I need to set the clock" etc. They got second level involved
and he asked how I get to the internet and I said I just use E-mail.
He asked how I do that and I said AOL.
He kept telling me there must be an internet address bar there and I
said I don't see one and I have never used it.
He asked what version of AOL I was using and I said I don't see a
version, it just says "AOL for DOS".
He asked what kind of machine I had and I said "IBM Personal Computer
XT".
I acted confused when they asked me about the OS. I said it was the
one that was on it when I bought the machine in 1985. After a minute
or two of violent keyboard clicking I said "DOS 2.1"
After another guy got on the phone, they finally asked me if I had
windows and I told them "no, that was the tool of satan". They hung
up.

I tied up 2 or 3 guys for 15 minutes.
Maybe they will take me off their list now.



I did a similar thing with them a few months ago. Didn't play the DOS
thing but acted like I was a really old geyser who didn't understand
how to use a computer. He'd give me an instruction to do something and
I'd stall, ask him to explain how to do what he wanted, etc. After
about 5 minutes I told him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. He
responded with a similar recommendation and hung up.


I assume that is their target audience and they really tried to "help"
me. I made them give me the http a bunch of times before I got them to
go another way. I thought "bad file or command name" would ring a bell
with someone.
I was cooking my lunch so I had the time to kill. Tapping my
fingernails on the counter sounded enough like typing to keep them
happy that I was playing along.
I wonder if their trojan would even run on a W3.1 system. I assume
that is what you get when you get to their web site.

I have been hearing from these people at least once a week so it might
be fun trying ... on dial up. (No ethernet support in W/3.1, you need
3.11 and some drivers)

On Mon, 09 May 2016 16:58:51 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 9 May 2016 16:28:19 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 5/9/2016 4:18 PM, wrote:
I got a call from "windows support" today telling me I had a problem
with my machine. Normally I just tell them to perform an unnatural act
with their mother but today I decided I would play along as long as
they would let me. This "english as a second language" guy gave me the
"grave danger pitch and then started telling me to type in a web
address and I said it keeps saying "bad file or command name". He
asked what was on my PC screen and I said "C:"
They had me reboot a couple times and I made that take a long time,
"wait, I need to set the clock" etc. They got second level involved
and he asked how I get to the internet and I said I just use E-mail.
He asked how I do that and I said AOL.
He kept telling me there must be an internet address bar there and I
said I don't see one and I have never used it.
He asked what version of AOL I was using and I said I don't see a
version, it just says "AOL for DOS".
He asked what kind of machine I had and I said "IBM Personal Computer
XT".
I acted confused when they asked me about the OS. I said it was the
one that was on it when I bought the machine in 1985. After a minute
or two of violent keyboard clicking I said "DOS 2.1"
After another guy got on the phone, they finally asked me if I had
windows and I told them "no, that was the tool of satan". They hung
up.

I tied up 2 or 3 guys for 15 minutes.
Maybe they will take me off their list now.



I did a similar thing with them a few months ago. Didn't play the DOS
thing but acted like I was a really old geyser who didn't understand
how to use a computer. He'd give me an instruction to do something and
I'd stall, ask him to explain how to do what he wanted, etc. After
about 5 minutes I told him to stick it where the sun doesn't shine. He
responded with a similar recommendation and hung up.


I assume that is their target audience and they really tried to "help"
me. I made them give me the http a bunch of times before I got them to
go another way. I thought "bad file or command name" would ring a bell
with someone.
I was cooking my lunch so I had the time to kill. Tapping my
fingernails on the counter sounded enough like typing to keep them
happy that I was playing along.
I wonder if their trojan would even run on a W3.1 system. I assume
that is what you get when you get to their web site.

I have been hearing from these people at least once a week so it might
be fun trying ... on dial up. (No ethernet support in W/3.1, you need
3.11 and some drivers)

The Panasonic phones we use in the house have a call blocking feature. If we get a call we don't
recognize, and if no message is left, it gets blocked. The fake calls have calmed way down.
--

Ban Krausescheiße-spouting narcissists...not guns!

On Tue, 10 May 2016 20:23:01 -0400, Keine Krausescheiße
wrote:

The Panasonic phones we use in the house have a call blocking feature. If we get a call we don't
recognize, and if no message is left, it gets blocked. The fake calls have calmed way down.
--

I still get HOA calls and they can be from all over since people just
use cell phones now. Some even come in "out of area" which is what I
get when they are from Bangladesh

On Monday, May 9, 2016 at 4:18:31 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I got a call from "windows support" today telling me I had a problem
with my machine. Normally I just tell them to perform an unnatural act
with their mother but today I decided I would play along as long as
they would let me. This "english as a second language" guy gave me the
"grave danger pitch and then started telling me to type in a web
address and I said it keeps saying "bad file or command name". He
asked what was on my PC screen and I said "C:"
They had me reboot a couple times and I made that take a long time,
"wait, I need to set the clock" etc. They got second level involved
and he asked how I get to the internet and I said I just use E-mail.
He asked how I do that and I said AOL.
He kept telling me there must be an internet address bar there and I
said I don't see one and I have never used it.
He asked what version of AOL I was using and I said I don't see a
version, it just says "AOL for DOS".
He asked what kind of machine I had and I said "IBM Personal Computer
XT".
I acted confused when they asked me about the OS. I said it was the
one that was on it when I bought the machine in 1985. After a minute
or two of violent keyboard clicking I said "DOS 2.1"
After another guy got on the phone, they finally asked me if I had
windows and I told them "no, that was the tool of satan". They hung
up.

I tied up 2 or 3 guys for 15 minutes.
Maybe they will take me off their list now.

I can't believe they are still trying to pull that one. I got that same call (again) a couple of weeks ago. I just laughed loudly and hung up. The guy was starting to curse me as I did. Idiots.

We did get a few calls with the recent IRS scam over the last few months. They tell you that the IRS has placed a lawsuit against you, and that if you send them some money they can make it go away. That may scare the crap out of some folks, but it didn't bother me at all. :