Creative approach to an old scam

[SA Shooter]

There's another one out there that switches web pages on you, or comes on as a popup, that has a link to a page that is described as a Comcast survey. Don't click it, boys and girls.

 

[Larrytpdx]

There's another one out there that switches web pages on you, or comes on as a popup, that has a link to a page that is described as a Comcast survey. Don't click it, boys and girls.

And also a "Firefox Update" Popup that is Malware. NEVER NEVER EVER click on ANY popup folks!

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I run only Safari as the browser on my Mac. I have an AdBlocker extension and pop-ups are blocked. I use DuckDuckGo for my search engine. I avoid all things Google and Android. I never open unsolicited email attachments, and I immediately delete any emails containing zip files. When I very rarely do get some kind of virus or malware notification on my browser screen I use COMMAND/OPTION/ESC to bring up a list of running apps and it allows me to force-quit the app in question. I run 9 devices on my home network which reside behind an OSX firewall and I've never had an issue on any of them except an occasional phishing attempt.

Oh, and because of the ad blocker I donate to NWFA every year. It's the right thing to do.

 

[Joe13]

I run only Safari as the browser on my Mac. I have an AdBlocker extension and pop-ups are blocked. I use DuckDuckGo for my search engine. I avoid all things Google and Android. I never open unsolicited email attachments, and I immediately delete any emails containing zip files. When I very rarely do get some kind of virus or malware notification on my browser screen I use COMMAND/OPTION/ESC to bring up a list of running apps and it allows me to force-quit the app in question. I run 9 devices on my home network which reside behind an OSX firewall and I've never had an issue on any of them except an occasional phishing attempt.

Oh, and because of the ad blocker I donate to NWFA every year. It's the right thing to do.

Apple > Microscam everyday

 

[SA Shooter]

And also a "Firefox Update" Popup that is Malware. NEVER NEVER EVER click on ANY popup folks!

Yes, I've seen that one more than once. Too bad we can't prosecute these scammers and spammers with the proper application of LEAD.

 

[woody06]

Just curious, were you on this website when that happened? I've been having similar things happen, but only when I'm on this website - no other website.

No, I was on the Centurylink homepage.

 

[woody06]

Just curious, were you on this website when that happened? I've been having similar things happen, but only when I'm on this website - no other website.

No, I was on the Centurylink homepage.

 

[Crazyeye24]

I tell them i don't own a computer and it shuts them up pretty quick.

 

[oknow]

Just go to National Do Not Call Registry

If you get any calls after a month go there and report them get name and number. Or just tell them that they are in violation of the fed do not call. They normally can't hang up fast enough.

 

[BrentN]

Awwww...but the phone call is the fun part. Turn the tables.

I had one of these calls from "windows", just like you described. But I didn't let him get a word in edge-wise. Assaulted him with questions, starting with "what's your name?" he said Joe, and I said bubblegum, let him describe at length how to plug in and turn on my computer, then tell him it's already on.. and it spirals down from there. Cussed at and hung up on me. Love it.

 

[BrentN]

Just go to National Do Not Call Registry

If you get any calls after a month go there and report them get name and number. Or just tell them that they are in violation of the fed do not call. They normally can't hang up fast enough.

Wait a minute. Are you saying I should put my phone number on a .gov website? To make my phone more secure?

 

[CoastRange57]

Watch the clickbait posts on Facebook as well. They set up some pretty good teases and you click to it and you get hit. I don't do those, but got one and that Windows post popped up. I killed the window in less than 2 seconds and then ran 2 antivirus programs, rebooted the computer and ran them again. It was clean. I just start deleting those BS posts anymore.

 

[CoastRange57]

Just go to National Do Not Call Registry

If you get any calls after a month go there and report them get name and number. Or just tell them that they are in violation of the fed do not call. They normally can't hang up fast enough.

The fun of the old land line telemarketers. We used to get those calls and they would ask for my wife. I would tell them that I have that bit*h locked up in the basement because she burnt dinner and if she don't get her sh*t together I am going down there and beat on her some more, so no she can't come to the phone.

If the wife answered and they asked for me, she would say I don't know where that SOB is, he owes me 6 months child support, and left me with a pile of bills, and if I find him I am going to cut his balls off. So maybe you know here he is at ??

You had to have some fun with it since they were so damn annoying. No land line anymore, so that cheap amusement is gone.

 

[oknow]

Wait a minute. Are you saying I should put my phone number on a .gov website? To make my phone more secure?

In a word. Yes

 

[Alexx1401]

Awwww...but the phone call is the fun part. Turn the tables.

I had one of these calls from "windows", just like you described. But I didn't let him get a word in edge-wise. Assaulted him with questions, starting with "what's your name?" he said Joe, and I said bubblegum, let him describe at length how to plug in and turn on my computer, then tell him it's already on.. and it spirals down from there. Cussed at and hung up on me. Love it.

Back when we still had land lines I used to LOVE doing this. Call; Is the head of house or such there?. Me sure, just a second. Put phone down for a while then come back. Hello? They would start and I would say, oh let me get them. Again phone down. Some times you could get them to stay on the line for :30 or so.

 

[BillM]

A little humor---
Back when we had a landline, got the "I am calling about the problem with
your windows computer".
Female, medium oriental accent.

Told her" I don't have any windows computers, mine are all Apple."

2 minutes later, phone rings. Same person. "I am calling about the problem
with your Apple computer".

 

[Mountainman38]

Often, but not always the case - I have been to other supposedly non-"naughty" sites and had the site try to do naughty things. It is more common on porn sites though; I have resolved issues like this for more than one person who didn't know how to fix it, and it was either that they were visiting porn sites, or that they accepted and opened attachments for emails (the latter my mother was very bad about).

A tip: if you are using tabbed browsing (multiple sites open in tabbed windows in the browser), and you can still see the tabs/windows, you can usually grab the tab with the mouse and drag it away from the window. This allows you to close that window without closing the other windows of the browser.

I usually have multiple browser windows open with multiple tabs in each - e.g., on for reading the news, one for this or that hobby, another for FB and so on. I may leave them open for days or even weeks until I get around to finishing an article or reading a forum post. It is very exasperating for me to have to kill a browser instance because it kills all windows.

I too like to keep lots and lots of tabs open, and when I have to close my browser I don't ever want to start all over. I use a Firefox Add-on called "Session Manager", that keeps track of what I was doing, and when I restart my computer (or Firefox), it will open up right where it was when I closed it.

 

[Mountainman38]

Wait a minute. Are you saying I should put my phone number on a .gov website? To make my phone more secure?

No. That's where you go to register all your firing arms.

 

[The Heretic]

I too like to keep lots and lots of tabs open, and when I have to close my browser I don't ever want to start all over. I use a Firefox Add-on called "Session Manager", that keeps track of what I was doing, and when I restart my computer (or Firefox), it will open up right where it was when I closed it.

Chrome can do the same thing more or less, but when I am home the bandwidth is very small - 3.5 mbps at best, on a day like today with all the snow/ice in the trees much less - so it is annoying to have to reopening dozens of tabs

 

[bbbass]

Yah, early on I had two screens lock up with the FBI ransomware. Never pay those bastiids! There are many ways around it. I still get the lockdown popups but CTRL-ALT-DEL right out since I have Vipre Internet protection software. Will even scan your Facebook!

The MS tech lowlifes haven't called in awhile. They sure got excited when I told them I had tracking software and special caller ID and was forwarding their info to the FBI.