Your computer has got a virus - we can fix it !!!

[#1]

Hi,
My daughter had her telephone line reconnected just a few days ago and - guess what - she gets a call from India (or wherever)  from a gentleman with the old  'your compter has a virus, we can fix it'  scam...
Now do these people just dial a block of numbers hoping that one of them is a legitimate one or...
The line was previously disconnected for a couple of years so presumably it wouldn't be listed in any directory.
John

[#2]

Some even claim to be from Microsoft

[#3]

it would of been on her credit report, those scumbags monitor credit reports and start fireing off targeted marketing reports as well
and there's an extremely high likelihood (since the one of the call centres for call credit is in Bangladesh) that the info is being bought straight from the cra's
if she takes out any form of credit in her own name she will likely get bombarded by credit and loan applications offers by mail text landline and email
signup to http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html to have what there doing made illegal.
half of the calls will stop immediately some will persist but not too many these a no junkmail option with the post office as well or she can just be strong and utilize the recycle bin to full effect

[#4]

Quote from: Steven

Some even claim to be from Microsoft

Not too sure which would be the worse !!!

Quote from: nanotm

signup to http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html to have what there doing made illegal.

I've already signed her up with TPS though I seem to remember what they say is they can't stop the foreign callers.
These callers really are a menace.  I had one a few days ago and I kept him talking for over 20 minutes.  I eventually asked him who was sitting next to him, he replied  'a colleague'  to which I replied  'well and bl...y annoy him and not me'  and put the phone down on him.  When they call the kids I get concerned though. 
One of the downsides of having a phone I suppose.
J

[#5]

Grab a call blocker which rejects incoming numbers that are international or have been withheld.

[#6]

yeah get a call blocker should stop them getting through,
also get the number changed to something that's ex-directory, that way they it wont get into the cra's lists and will be less susceptible to cold calling from these sorts of people,
bear in mind of course that there are some groups in places like Bangladesh who literally batch call from a pc (it dials every number permutation) for a single ring and if you ring or text the number it charges you £15... had that on my kids mobile the mobile operator though was very good about it and capped spending at zero on the phones, meaning there's no way for anyone to naively respond to them...

[#7]

I have been xdir for years, it doesn't stop these calls. Nor does tpsonline.
The only way I found last year was a cpr call blocker, now all international and withheld id calls are just dropped, I sometimes hear a small blip from the phone but that is it.
I was getting up to 6 a day from the "M$" brigade this stops them dead.
I paid £40 over a year ago, given than "choose to refuse" is £3-4 a month it has paid for its self and is now working for free. No power use either, as it is powered from the phone line.

[#8]

About a year ago I had three of these calls in a week. Never had one before or since. Two of my friends who also live in Leeds had them in the same week. I wonder if they target areas by dialling a block of numbers as PNnewbie said. I never answer International or out of area calls now as if it is genuine and important they will leave a message on my answering machine. Sometimes I answer withheld numbers when expecting a call back from a business.

[#9]

Quote from: Salmo

Sometimes I answer withheld numbers when expecting a call back from a business.

That's the only problem with the cpr call blocker    We had three such calls recently (which registered on an "unblocked" handset, though it doesn't ring for these ) that were from the local hospital - having unblocked withheld, the fourth call that PM was answered. It takes less than a minute to enable/disable, but it's the timing of when to do it that's the problem - 90%+ of these calls seemed to be nuisance calls before the blocker, though I used to just listen as they quickly dropped the line if there was no voice input.

[#10]

yeah that the problem with traditional call blocking, you cant pick the numbers to let through and half the people that ring me legitimately are either overseas or on withheld numbers within the uk.... but having an unlisted number does seem to thwart most of the nuisance callers, it doesn't stop the block diallers but thankfully they seem to move what area they are targeting and tend to only ring once or twice without getting a response before they stop, the absolute worst was the uk based callers who broke the law by ignoring TPS options, still they seem to have gone unusually quiet, i'm guessing they got closed down by the plod again

[#11]

Since I've had caller ID I don't answer 'Out of area' or 'International' calls and they have surprisingly diminished in number. We still get the odd one but I will guarantee you if we answer one we will be inundated with them for the next month. I think any numbers answered must go to the top of list and those not answered drop down it so don't get called as often.

[#12]

If you are expecting a return number and expect it to be withheld then a simple entry will clear the block on the cpr, you can re-enable it later with a similar dialed number, Put them in the speed dial on the phone - block on & block on for easy access. thought it is only a short number *# combination.
Our doctors surgery had tried to call us a few months ago, they now have a note added saying prefix call with (whatever) to call us.