Scams

In my family, we just let the phone ring unless it's a number we recognize and our parents are home. Because generally it's for them anyways and the message will usually be something along the lines of "tell your mom (or dad) that on blank-day, so-and-so needs this or that and that the meeting on this blank-day has been changed to this time." Etc. We leave it for the answering machine so our parents can actually get the message.

So the other day, when we were all together in the family room lounged on the couch, draped over chairs, or sprawled on the floor chatting about life while the television was paused, the phone rang. It was one of those numbers we didn't recognize, plus it was an unknown caller. My dad actually asked that we pick it up. We normally don't, because usually those numbers are trying to sell us something. But we did, and gave him the phone.

And guess what? Someone was calling from India! My family doesn't know anyone personally who lives there, just so you know. This person was telling us that we have a problem with our Windows on the computer and thus he called us so he could help, or whatever. Now, this guy called the wrong house. First, I think that we have only one non-Mac in the house. Secondly, we haven't had a problem with our computers. Thirdly, my dad's a computer scientist and so actually knows what computers can and can't do. Receiving a call from India about the fact that one of our computers is having problems and so reached out to this guy for help and then from that learned our actual house number to call to help was highly unlikely. Apparently impossible as well.

This guy asked if we turned on our computer. My dad said yes. As we were sitting on the floor not even near a computer. The guy asked a bunch of other questions that my dad just said yes to. Then my dad asked him, how can you see my computer screen? My dad knew that he couldn't, but asked to see what the man would say. Well. The man heard, hesitated (very obviously), and then studiously ignored the question pretending there was a language barrier and continued with what he was instructing. Eventually, it turned out that he wanted my dad to download something from off the internet. My dad has not moved from the floor in the family room. The man then asked what my dad saw on the screen. My dad asked, what am I supposed to see? The other guy pretended there was a language barrier again and repeated the question. Then my dad asked, do you know my name? The man paused a little and gave a mumbled and muffled reply of "Mr. Jay..." Um. Not even close. Then my dad said, I'm sorry. I think you have that wrong number. That's not my name. My dad then started asking further questions such as, how'd you know it was my computer? How'd you get this number? etc. The man hung up on us without even a goodbye.

After the dial tone came up, my dad turned to all of us and warned us about the dangers of scams and explained that this guy just called a number and wanted us to download something onto the computer that would contain a virus. He then told us that with computers as well as banks, we call them. They don't call you. We knew this all growing up, because that's how my dad is. But it was quite the teaching opportunity. Hands on and all. It was actually fun. My brothers were actually rolling around in laughter. In anycase, beware the scammers.

Other helpful hints: you know those e-mails you get every once in awhile? The ones that are like, forward to your friends so you can get good luck or help poor susan or something? If you really want to pass it along, put the addresses of those you are passing it to in the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) this way people won't have your friends e-mail. Scammers of today would really like active e-mail addresses so they could send you junk mail and whatever else. Just a warning.