Adobe's Overseas's Customer Service Comprimised?

[Michael West]

I had just gotten off the phone with adobe customer service. this afternoon ...an Indian Call Center by the sound of the customer service rep, when I got a call purporting to someone  who was calling about " your computer".. this a man who wouldnt identify himself as a representative of any company. I hung up on him.

On checling the origination of the call I noted that the caller ha  blocked the number he was calling from.

This may have been coincidental or it may be that  are rogue scammers  operating in the same call centers as the Abobe Representatives.

Has anyone else ever run into this sort of scenario?

[Justinr]

I had just gotten off the phone with adobe customer service. this afternoon ...an Indian Call Center by the sound of the customer service rep, when I got a call purporting to someone  who was calling about " your computer".. this a man who wouldnt identify himself as a representative of any company. I hung up on him.

On checling the origination of the call I noted that the caller ha  blocked the number he was calling from.

This may have been coincidental or it may be that  are rogue scammers  operating in the same call centers as the Abobe Representatives.

Has anyone else ever run into this sort of scenario?

We get bouts of it over here occasionally. If the caller takes more than three or four seconds to say anything then I automatically hang up, that pause is the scammers trying to hook up to your internet we were told after they hit the in-laws.

[Rhossydd]

If the caller takes more than three or four seconds to say anything then I automatically hang up, that pause is the scammers trying to hook up to your internet

Nothing to do with your internet connection. Calls are dialled automatically and the three or four seconds is the time it takes for the system to recognise that the call has been answered and pass the connection to a person to take the call. Just cold calling, so inevitably not worth answering.

If you do get a proper scam "we know there's a problem with your computer" type call, you might consider it a public service to answer it and drag it out for as long as possible to prevent someone less knowledgeable getting scammed. My best is holding them for 50mins (whilst doing other work at the same time).

[Justinr]

Nothing to do with your internet connection. Calls are dialled automatically and the three or four seconds is the time it takes for the system to recognise that the call has been answered and pass the connection to a person to take the call. Just cold calling, so inevitably not worth answering.

If you do get a proper scam "we know there's a problem with your computer" type call, you might consider it a public service to answer it and drag it out for as long as possible to prevent someone less knowledgeable getting scammed. My best is holding them for 50mins (whilst doing other work at the same time).

Then why doesn't happen with all the calls?

Whenever I get that pauses it's invariably followed by a fellow or lady from Asia or of Asian origin telling me they are from Microsoft or Google or something they hope is equally as plausible. It is then followed by them informing me there is something wrong with the computer and hey, would you believe it, they can sort it all out for us. Well at least that's what did happen, I just put the phone down now and as yet I have not knowingly done it on a genuine call.

[Rhossydd]

Then why doesn't happen with all the calls?

The delays are variable depending on software, their connection speed, how busy they are etc.
Surely you don't really think that they can " hook up to your internet" on just a phone call ?

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

I had just gotten off the phone with adobe customer service. this afternoon ...an Indian Call Center by the sound of the customer service rep, when I got a call purporting to someone  who was calling about " your computer".. this a man who wouldnt identify himself as a representative of any company. I hung up on him.

Hi Michael,

I think it is just a coincidence. You probably just got an unrelated scam call.

There is/was a notorious Windows computer service center scam, and I also received a number of those calls. I once played along, just to see what they were trying to do and how they would try to gain access to my computer to lock it, and hold it in ransom or steal passwords. Of course I stopped following instructions before any harm could be done. The better ones have lots of good answers prepared, so they can wiggle themselves out of most questions. Clever, but disgusting.

Ars Technica also received such a call, and documented it here.

It can also get very funny, if it wasn't so sad.

Cheers,
Bart

[Justinr]

The delays are variable depending on software, their connection speed, how busy they are etc.
Surely you don't really think that they can " hook up to your internet" on just a phone call ?

The idea is to keep you on the phone for as long as possible, and yes, they did gain access to my in-laws computer via the internet connection and they suffered loss as a consequence.

[Rhossydd]

they did gain access to my in-laws computer via the internet connection

The only way this can happen is if the receiver of the call is naive/ignorant/stupid enough to initiate the connection, either by enabling remote access or downloading and running a program they've been told to. Which is the IT equivalent of someone walking up to you in the street and asking you to open your wallet and letting them take your cash.

I know some people that think that no one should be allowed onto the internet until they've proved they're competent to use it safely.
It's an argument that has some merit.

[stamper]

The only way this can happen is if the receiver of the call is naive/ignorant/stupid enough to initiate the connection, either by enabling remote access or downloading and running a program they've been told to. Which is the IT equivalent of someone walking up to you in the street and asking you to open your wallet and letting them take your cash.

I know some people that think that no one should be allowed onto the internet until they've proved they're competent to use it safely.
It's an argument that has some merit.

How do they become competent before they are allowed onto the internet? IMO experience is the greatest teacher. I think you were a little harsh in your description of the people being duped?

[Rhossydd]

How do they become competent before they are allowed onto the internet?

Education.

[stamper]

Education.

Hands on is best? Theory is fine up to a point but experience and making mistakes and learning from them is better?

[Justinr]

The only way this can happen is if the receiver of the call is naive/ignorant/stupid enough to initiate the connection, either by enabling remote access or downloading and running a program they've been told to. Which is the IT equivalent of someone walking up to you in the street and asking you to open your wallet and letting them take your cash.

I know some people that think that no one should be allowed onto the internet until they've proved they're competent to use it safely.
It's an argument that has some merit.

This is an elderly couple we are talking about and I'm sure Dorset Constabulary would be delighted to hear of your insights. They may be contacted here - http://www.dorset.police.uk/default.aspx?page=280

[Rhossydd]

experience and making mistakes and learning from them is better?

Ask the people who've been scammed out of cash if they would now have preferred to learn how to avoid that loss before it happened.
Would you think it's good idea to just let anyone get in a car or aeroplane and teach themselves how to use it ?

Also consider that it's not just the individual victim who looses here. These are the people that allow their systems to become infected with malware, the attacks that come from infected systems can be detrimental to anyone whose data is on a system anywhere.

[Rhossydd]

This is an elderly couple we are talking about

Age is no excuse for just blundering about with things you can't be bothered to learn about.

Dorset Constabulary would be delighted to hear of your insights.

The police are making big efforts to try to educate people how to avoid scams like this, but people need to listen to their advice.

[stamper]

I don't think your analogy with a car or aeroplane is apt? Have you made any mistakes on the internet or computer?

[Justinr]

Age is no excuse for just blundering about with things you can't be bothered to learn about.The police are making big efforts to try to educate people how to avoid scams like this, but people need to listen to their advice.

Whatever. Mind the pile of pizza boxes when you head out to the real world.

[Rhossydd]

Have you made any mistakes on the internet or computer?

None that have left me out of pocket or hurt anyone else.

[Rhossydd]

.... when you head out to the real world.

I live in the real world which is why I've been smart enough not to fall for silly cold calls and scams.

[stamper]

I live in the real world which is why I've been smart enough not to fall for silly cold calls and scams.

You should write a book about it? It would be a best seller?

[Rhossydd]

You should write a book about it? It would be a best seller?

There's the problem. There's SO much publicity about this issue now it's difficult to understand how anyone can fall for these scams.