Got another scam phone call...

[Archae]

Again a woman with an accent that sounded like she was from Africa.
Again, saying she was calling from Microsoft.

Like the one here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024517473

Decided to try a different approach, rather than being nasty.

I was super-nice, just having a great conversation, about football, politics, movies, TV, anything I could think of anytime the scammer tried selling me her spiel, I'd change the subject.

I did say "Oh BTW, I am recording the conversation, and I have your phone number here now."

*click*

[rurallib]

1. I told them the police chief was a friend of mine

and I would pass this number along to him...........

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. I got a weird one too. They said they were with the FBI

and were tracking down financial fraud. After spending approximately 30 minutes reciting my bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and PIN's so they could verify my accounts were safe I thought...."hey, wait a minute...."

Just kidding. I thought most would know on our
Times...never give that kind of info out.

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Are you serious Pretzel?

The FBI would never call and ask for that info . . . They work directly with financial institutions, electronics manufacturers and telcos. Ditto the Secret Service, US Marshall's. Generally the company you work with will advise you that you have been defrauded.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. Be careful also

About calling them back at their number. There's a one ring call scam attacking our customers right now - they call from foreign numbers and hang up. Or call and talk with you. Then you call them back and it's a phone sex chat line.

[MADem]

4. I like the "Let me go get my laptop" ploy....

And then leave 'em hanging, listening to your favorite television programs while you fart around doing other things.

[John1956PA]

6. I am glad that you were coy and got over on the scam artist.

That approach is better than losing your cool.

[XRubicon]

7. I asked him to tell me which computer had the virus

I told him I had two laptops and a desktop. All running different versions of Windows.

Which one did they detect the virus on, they should know what version of Windows is running on the infected machine that they "detected".

The "Microsoft" guy seemed perplexed after that and I hung up.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Oh BTW, I am recording the conversation,

works wonders, doesn't it?
I have used that with god success, right up till I got itred of answering the phone.
Now I let the machine get every call...95% of the time it is a sales call.

[Denzil_DC]

9. Good strategy!

The more of their time you waste (if you can spare your own), the fewer people they can scam.

[penultimate]

10. Sound a bit a redundant....

You could have just wrote a letter to the NSA requesting a transcript.