Scam, scam, Scam, scam …

You know, over the years, I’ve written about technology.

Admittedly, not much: as, non-professional that I am, there’s little I can say, beyond ‘Oh, look what I can do.’

Or, ‘Wow, look what I got!’

Oh, and ‘Look out for this lot …’

Frankly … ?

That’s something I’ve not done for a while: but think I now should.

~≈®≈~

The Comantra Scam: Trust me, I’m WETTING meself …

Oh …

Dear …

Oh, deary, deary me …

And I say that, whilst ALSO admitting I’m trying not to wet meself, despite this being a serious subject.

You see …

Well, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve written — a few times, now — about a dodgy company based in Bangladesh, called Comantra.

Who’ve been phoning people, for at least a year, to try and con people into to giving them remote access to their PCs: installing some seriously nasty software, and then charging the innocent mark to remove it.

I first wrote about it, roughly a year ago, when a friend of mine, Kelly, got a call from them.

And, Kelly, being Kelly, she immediately started asking around, to see if anyone else thought it was as much of a dead rat as she did.

Of course, ever since then, the Gazette’s been keeping an eyeball peeled, and managed to report at least three of these attempts.

And I’ll be honest … ?

I’ve just had a call from them, myself, calling themselves Online PC Services.

Here … this is the email I sent to the Gazette about it …

Dear Sir

I’ve got be honest, I’ve been reading your articles about scam phone calls from people claiming to be able to remotely ‘fix’ your PC, with interest

As you may know, I’ve been following the story for a while, and written about it on my blog, after a couple of friends tell me about calls they’ve had.

Well, I’ve got to confess, I’ve just had a call from the same people: today, at 12:53.

Coming from a bad line, from a caller with a heavy Indian accent.

The chap — at least I believe it was a man, the line was very bad — identified himself as coming from Online PC Support, and told me their investigations showed there was a problem with my computer.

I got him to repeat that a couple of times to make sure I’d heard correctly.

He basically told me their records were showing them there was a problem with my PC.

And I’ve got to confess, I was trying desperately to NOT laugh at him.

Because — me being me — I immediately turned round and said “I haven’t had a problem with my Mac, for years”.

They put the phone down on me.

Which was rude, I thought. You’d EXPECT a bunch of scammers to be politer, after all.

But I’m going to thank the Gazette, here. It’s nice to see others beside me and tech fans, making people aware of this sort of scam.

It really does need continual highlighting.

Lets hope that gets published.

After all, I’m thinking this sort of thing really does need continual highlighting.

Comantra Scam

You know …

I’m blowed if I can remember which Teaser I mentioned it in, but I’m pretty sure that I have.

But you’re probably very aware that I’ve writing about Comantra, before now.

The Bangladeshi based company — who seemingly have a couple of Bradford based numbers — gave a friend of mine a call — in July of last year — and tried gaining access to her computer.

They didn’t, thankfully.

But I’ve been keeping an eye open for this sort of thing, every since.

And have come across two stories in the Brentwood Gazette about people who’ve almost been caught out by this sort of scam — seemingly from the same call centre in Bangladesh — and from two friends who also told me they’ve had the same phone calls.

Now coming across five such stories — all from the same part of the world — got me keeping me eyes peeled, understandably.

And even finding out, through an old schoolfriend I’ve been in touch with, via Facebook, that the company concerned seems to be doing the same sort of thing to a bunch of Australians, only masquerading as ‘SupportOnClick’.

Hmmm …

Talk about going global … !

Hmmm …

Now, I’ve got to admit …

I though this is starting to smell more and more like a dead rat.

Again.

What got me … ?

Is the fact that whoever’s behind this seems to ALSO have at least two Facebook pages.

So I’ve got to admit, I’ve got cheeky.

Here’s the message I sent them through the social site.

Sir,

I writing to you having seen that your group has started both it’s own Facebook page and group, and it’s own blog.

Over the past few years, I’ve taken a keen — if amateur — interest in technology.

And, on a par with many, developed a basic awareness of good security practise, when it comes to computer use.

So I’m genuinely aware that some unscrupulous companies are very keen to use unsavoury techniques to gain control of people’s computers.

Including — seemingly — a call centre in Bengal, with a UK based number, claiming to act in your company’s behalf: and on the behalf of Support On Click in Australia.

One that has made repeated claims to act on Microsoft’s behalf, that uses potentially unethical sales techniques, and manages to gain remote access to peoples computer by trickery.

I’d like to ask a few questions if your company is aware of this. I’d also like to know if this call centre is genuinely acting for your company.

If it is, are you intending to retrain any staff, so that they sell you products in a more ethical way.

If it isn’t, what are your company intending to do about it.

Please feel free to reply, through Facebook.

That way, I can happily tell people about your intentions through my blog.

Yours,

If I get any sort of reply … ?

I’ll let you know …

Email Scams: That’s A New One

And I’m not kidding, either … !

I’ve got to admit, I was just poking around my gmail account’s Spam folder, earlier.

Which sounds strange.

But it’s something I do with both it and my private account.

Just to make sure that emails that I’m expecting, haven’t been misdirected.

Thankfully, there’s was nothing that had gone astray, like that.

But there was the usual amount of bumf, junk and plain old pooh.

And something novel.

Or novel, for an attempted scam email, any way.

Here, just in case you can’t make out the text in the photo …

SCAM VICTIM COMPENSATION PAYMENT VIA ATM CARD.

BANK OF AFRICA/UNITED NATIONS 2011

COMPENSATIONS PAYMENTS DIRECTIVE.

ATTN:Sir/Madam.

SCAMMED VICTIM/.REF/PAYMENTS CODE:06654 1.5 MILLION USD.

This is to bring to your notice that I am delegated from the United

Nations and Union Bank Of Africa to pay 100 Benin Republic 419 scam victims $1.5 Million each, you are listed and approved for this payments as one of the

scammed victims,get back to us as soon as possible for the immediate

payments of your $1.5 Million compensations funds. On this faith full

recommendations,

I want you to know that during the last UN meetings held

at Port Novo,Capital Of Benin Republic,it was alarmed so much by the rest

of the world in the meetings on the lose of funds by various foreigners to

the scams artists operating in syndicates all over the world today,in

other to retain the good image of the country,the president of the country

is now paying 100 victims of this operators $1.5Million USD each,Due to the

corrupt and inefficient banking systems in Benin Republic,the payments are

to be paid by UNION BANK OF AFRICA as corresponding paying bank under funding assistance by the National Westminster bank London.

According to the number of applicants at hand,84 beneficiaries has been paid ,half of the victims are from the United States and Asia,we still have more 16 left to be paid the compensations of $1Million each. Your particulars was

mentioned by one of the syndicates who was arrested in Cotonou as one of

their victims of the operations,you are hereby warned not to communicate

or duplicate this message to him for any reason what so ever,the US secret

service is already on trace of the criminal,You can receive your

compensations payments via ATM CARD PAYMENT.

Furthermore you are advice toreconfirm you billing address include your full name and direct contact telephone number to the Managing Director Swift Card Consultant Payment Center for the certified ATM Card, the contact information is as follows:

MANAGING DIRECTOR SWIFT CARD

CONSULTANT PAYMENT CENTER.

Email:(ubabank13@accountant.com)

TEL PHONE: +229-97 09 7 82

NAME: Dr Linda maxwel.

Call her immediately you get this mail to enable her speed up for your ATM

payment Card,NB Please do not reply to this E-mail,contact the Managing

Director Swift Card Consultant Payment Center immediately with the

necessary information required from you so that they will commence on

processing.

Yours faithfully,

Gad Amata

But I’ve got to admit, that was new.

A scam email telling me I was due compensation …

For being scammed … !

Dear me, what will they come up with, next … ?

»»•««

Now, just as a last thing … ?

Bless, you can tell how revered Nicholas Courtney was, can’t you … ?

I managed to pick the poster — that second photo — from Life, Dr Who & Combom: and can find the relevant link to the original, here …

And Toby, over at Inner Toob … ?

Had this …