[LINK] Strange call from "Telstra"

[Frank O'Connor]

Definitely not Telstra.        :)

Probably from the same people who have bought us the ‘Windows Technical Services Department’

My guess is that we’re looking at a fishing expedition there. They keep you talking, get to verify your username and logon-passwords, maybe get you to connect to their site and install a 'diagnostic tool’ because the traffic stats indicate some serious activity that could be a terrible virus, and whilst they’re about it they can check out your PC’s health, …. What’s that you say? It doesn’t work now? Well we do have this product for only $39.99 that will fix that. Just give me your credit card details. … etc etc.

I had a call a few months back pretty much like yours … said he was from the Telstra Technical Department ...and had some fun playing with the uber-creep.

“Really?” Puts hand imperfectly over the handset. “Yo Errol, we’ve got one here Mate. Run a trace, and get the Feds on the line”

Uncovers handset ...“And you say, I may have a virus? That sounds serious. Hang on a second.” Imperfectly covers handset. “Routed through Sydney, hey? Look get the Feds up there on it now … I can’t keep this guy online indefinitely. Once we’ve traced the bastard we can …”

Click!

Haven’t heard from them since.

The really SAD thing about all this is that Telstra (and Optus and whoever your comms provider is), could probably quite easily block these calls …. but they’re happy to take the hit to their reputations when people get defrauded, because a billable call is apparently sacrosanct. (I don’t know what Telstra gets from incoming overseas scam calls but it must be huge.)

No wonder people churn …
----
> On 3 Dec 2015, at 12:56 PM, Jan Whitaker <jwhit at janwhitaker.com> wrote:
> 
> Has this ever happened to anyone? 
> I had a call from someone with a South Asian accent telling me my Telstra internet connection is going to be turned off this week because of hackers. I told him Telstra isn't my ISP, but I stayed on the line. He says that Telstra supplies all internet connections across the country. So now do I understand?
> 
> I asked for his name and telephone number. He asks why and I say because I don't believe him about any of this. He says, ok if you don't believe me hang up. So I did.
> 
> That is one of the strangest calls I've ever had. Just wondering if anyone else has been hit like this? It's a doozy.
> 
> Jan
> 
> I write books. http://janwhitaker.com/?page_id=8
> 
> Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
> jwhit at janwhitaker.com
> Twitter: <https://twitter.com/JL_Whitaker>JL_Whitaker
> Blog: www.janwhitaker.com 
> 
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