Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 27th February, 2019.

27th February, 2019.

Well … 

That seemed to go well.

As you may or may not know, I had an interview, yesterday.

For a call Centre job at Romford Magistrate Court, one I was nervous about … and one I really did not want to go to.

Nervous … possibly doesn’t even start … 

However … ?

It seemed to go well enough … but I’ll find out once the vetting’s done … 

~≈§≈~

Oh, remember, many years ago, I wrote about what I then called the Comantra Scam*: where someone phones up — claiming to be from a reputable company — and claims you have an issue with your PC.   They’s also called a Technical Support scam.

Then cons you out of your hard earned cash, by spending it on useless software: or by conning you into handing remote control or you machine … THEN selling you useless software …

Well, I’ve just had another call: from someone claiming to be from the BT Technical Department.

I’m thankful I know about these things.

I’m thankful I’m aware these calls usually seem to happen early in the morning.

I’m thankful I managed to confuse the HELL out of the woman who called me.

Asking her if it had anything to do with my gibbon seemed to confuse the daylights out of her … 

~≈§≈~

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 Friday Question Set — 30-03-2012

Can I make a confession, here … ?

Can I … ?

I’m mildly ticked off.

If’ve you’ve been reading me for a while, you’ll know I’ve mentioned what I call the Comantra Scam.

What the scammers are doing is phoning people: and then tricking them into handing over remote control of their machines.

It’s been around for a while, let’s put it that way.

Well …

I’ve just had ANOTHER call from them. You’d think “I’ve got a Mac, I don’t need help from a Microsoft Gold Partner” would work, wouldn’t you … ?

»»·««

At ANY rate … ?

At ANY rate, it is, of course, Friday: which obviously means that it’s now Friday Question Set day.

So with-out much further ado …

Here’s the Friday Question Set: released, as ever, under the Creative Commons License …

Online 145: Copied From Harold 3

ROUND ONE. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

Q1) How old was the Queen, on her birthday, in 2006?

A1) 80.

Q2) Oxfam is actually short for the Oxford Committee for … what?

Q2) Famine Relief.

Q3) The Knesset is which country’s parliament?

A3) Israel.

Q4) Saint Stephen’s Day is more commonly known as what?

A4) Boxing Day.

Q5) Octavia Hill founded which national organisation, in 1895?

A5) The National Trust.

Q6) Grand Lodges, & Grand Orients are the head offices of various European branches of what?

A6) The Freemasons.

Q7) Who made a last gasp move from Arsenal to Chelsea, just before the August 31st transfer deadline, in 2006?

A7) Ashley Cole.

Q8) How many members does the US Senate have?

A8) 100.

Q9) The Camorra of Naples, is a branch of which organisation?

A9) The Mafia.

Q10) If Prince Charles dies before the Queen, who inherits the throne of the UK … ?

A10) Prince William.

ROUND 2. BLINDED WITH SCIENCE.

Q11) Which scientist invented mill-edged coins?

A11) Isaac Newton.

Q12) What does the D stand for, in RADAR?

A12) Detection. (In full, it stand’s for Radio Detection And Ranging)

Q13) Which German doctor gave his name to a version of Senile Dementia?

A13) Dr Alois Alzheimer.

Q14) Manya Sklodowska is better known under what name?

A14) Marie Curie.

Q15) Paralysis Agitans is better known under what name?

A15) Parkinson’s Disease.

Q16) In 1898, Marconi made the first wireless broadcast across where: the English Channel, Atlantic ocean or the Indian Ocean?

A16) The English Channel.

Q17) What does the V stand for, in IVF?

A17) Vitro.

Q18) Carbohydrates are made up of Carbon, Hydrogen … and what else?

A18) Oxygen.

Q19) If you’re pasteurising something, what you doing to something to kill the bacteria present?

Q19) Heating/boiling.

Q20) Who wrote A Brief History Of Time?

A20) Professor Stephen Hawking.

ROUND 3. MUSIC AND LIGHTS.

Q21) Which UK number One could have been released by Dwight and Matthews, if its singers had used their real names?

A21) Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, by Elton John (Reginald Dwight) and Kiki Dee (Pauline Matthews.)

Q22) Who released an album called Blondes Have More Fun?

A22) Rod Stewart.

Q23) What was Chuck Berry’s only UK Number One?

A23) My Ding A Ling.

Q24) The video to which Madonna song was denounced by Pope John Paul the 2nd?

A24) Like A Prayer.

Q25) Hollywood star Wesley Snipes appears in the video for which Michael Jackson song?

A25) Bad.

Q26) Kurt Wiell wrote the words to The Thrupenny Opera. Who wrote the music?

A26) Bertold Brecht.

Q27) Chopin wrote almost exclusively for which keyboard instrument?

A27) The Piano.

Q28) Which Beatle was the first to have a solo US Number 1?

A28) George Harrison.

Q29) Which British rock star was the first to make a complete album available for downloading?

A29) David Bowie.

Q30) Which country star got the Lifetime Achievement Grammy, in 2000: Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, or Johnny Cash?

A30) Willie Nelson.

ROUND FOUR. SOAP & FLANNEL.

Q31) Which popular soap is set in Albert Square?

A31) EastEnders,

Q32) In The Archers, which character is notorious for his black satin sheets?

A32) Nelson Gabriel.

Q33) Which soap is set in the fictional village of Beckindale?

A33) Emmerdale.

Q34) On which street is Neighbours set?

A34) Ramsey Street.

Q35) In which year of the 60’s was Coronation Street first broadcast?

A35) 1960.

Q36) Which BBC1 soap ended in 1993, after just one year?

A36) Eldorado.

Q37) Which Aussie soap is set in Summer Bay

A37) Home and Away.

Q38) What was the name of the slow–witted handyman in the original series of Crossroads’?

A38) Benny.

Q39) Tamsin Grieg plays Debbie Aldridge in one soap, and Doctor Caroline Todd in another. Name either. (Two points for both.)

A39) The Archers and Green Wing.

Q40) Who is Coronations Street’s repetitive butcher?

A40) Fred Elliot.

ROUND FIVE. AT THE MOVIES.

Q41) Who starred in the silent movies, Easy Street and The Kid?

A41) Charlie Chaplin.

Q42) Which English director directed Lawrence of Arabia?

A42) David Lean.

Q43) Anton Karas wrote The Harry Lime Theme for which Orson Welles film?

A43) The Third Man.

Q44) Which 1969 film revolves around a Chicago dance marathon, with a $1,500 prize?

A44) They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?.

Q45) Who played the lead, in the 1977 film, Jesus of Nazareth?

A45) Robert Powell.

Q46) Which Hollywood star made his last appearance in a western called The Shootist? (Bonus point for the star’s real name.)

A46) John Wayne. (Marion Morrison)

Q47) Whose Hollywood screen test notes famously said ‘Can’t act, slightly bald … can dance a little’?

A47) Fred Astaire’s.

Q48) In which film did Russell Crowe play Captain Jack Aubrey?

A48) Master and Commander.

Q49) Who’s the only person to have won a posthumous Best Actor Oscar?

A49) Peter Finch. (For his performance in Network, filmed in 1976.)

Q50) Which Kris Kristofferson film entered movie legend in 1980, for losing more money than any other film?

A50) Heaven’s Gate.

ROUND SIX. GENERAL IGNORANCE.

Q51) The month of January was named after which Roman god? (Bonus for saying what they were the god of)

A51) Janus. (God of doorways and portals.)

Q52) What is the main ingredient of Hummus?

A52) Chick peas.

Q53) Which philosopher founded a famous academy in Athens, in 387 BC?

A53) Plato.

Q54) Who became Conservative party leader, in 1965?

A54) Edward Heath.

Q55) Who released the album, Atom Heart Mother?

A55) Pink Floyd.

Q56) Amethyst is the birthstone for which month of the year?

A56) February.

Q57) Which Greco-Roman hero killed the Nemean Lion?

A57) Hercules. (Heracles was the Greek version of the name.)

Q58) In the Annual University Boat Race, Oxford’s reserve boat is called Isis. What’s the name of the Cambridge reserve boat?

A58) Goldie.

Q59) In which 20th century war was Napalm first used as a weapon?

A59) World War 2.

Q60) Lieutenant Mitch Buchannon & C. J. Parker were central characters in which US series?

A60) Baywatch.

Enjoy those, everyone: I’ll catch you later …

The Comantra Scam: You mean You Phone at Weekends … ?

Oh …

Dear …

LORD …

You know, I’ think I’ve got to give whoever it is in Bangladesh that’s been running what I’ve come to call the Comantra Scam — in other words, a phone scam where the scammers attempts to con you into giving them remote access to your PC, and then sell you dodgy software to ‘get rid of any problems’ — credit for persistence!

Because … ?

Well, because I’ve just had another phone call from these guys: only this time, calling themselves the ‘Windows Defence Department’.

Deary, deary me …

And I’ll be honest … ?

I’m thinking their working their way through the phone book.

Because it ALSO turns out my mother had a call, this morning, as well … !

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 …

Comantra: They’re Baaaaaack

Oh, my word … !

Comantra — or one of its successors that’s kept the name — is still going … !

Just to fill you in, briefly, a few years ago, a friend of mine — Kelly, the singer — got in touch with me to tell me about a rather worrying phone-call she’d had: boiling it down to its simplest re-telling, the caller tried to con Kelly into handing over remote control of her machine, SEEMINGLY intent of infecting it with some form of malicious software.

And then charging Kelly a small fortune to — seemingly — remove it.

Kelly, after asking me, and a few other way more computer literate friends of hers, managed to turn them down, without handing over control of her machine, OR her bank account details.

But, afterwards, let me write up a post about it.

It wasn’t long after that, that the Brentwood Gazette had an article about what sounded like the same people — Comantra — who’d been in touch with a local businessman — Jason Lovell, who, ironically, runs a computer security company — getting a call from them.

Nice to scoop the Gazette … !

But at any rate, that wasn’t THAT long after I’d written about Kelly.

»»·««

What did tickle me, though … ?

Was the fact that they’ve written ANOTHER article, this week: about widow, Kimie Markarian.

Who’d had a call from what sounds a LOT like Comantra.

Seems they’d tried the same thing on her … !

You can imagine my response, can’t you … ?

I fired off an email … !

Here …

Dear Sir,

I’ve GOT to admit, I read your article about the widow targeted by fraudsters, this week, with no real surprise.

After all, this is something that I, as a blogger, have covered: as has the Gazette, itself.

Quite some time ago, as I recall.

So hearing that the same sort of scam is still around?

Isn’t surprising.

What DOES surprise me, however … ?

Is the simple fact that the company that supply operating systems and hardware — and both Apple and Canonical, makers of Ubuntu, are as bad as Microsoft, Dell and HP in this regard — still don’t hand out basic security tips to people who purchase their products.

I’ve been using a Mac for years, which isn’t as prone to virus and malware as a Windows based PC is.

But I’m also aware of basic good practice, for the few that’s out there.

Little things: don’t download stuff from sites I don’t trust. Don’t open an email attachment that you’ve not asked for.

Now, I’ve been online for a while: so this is stuff I’ve learnt over the course of that.

But for someone like Mrs Makarian … ?

Well …

I’m positive someone unfamiliar with using a computer would’ve appreciated having some basic security tips: either in the box, in the local paper, or from the sales staff they bought the computer from.

Let’s hope that gets published … !

But, at ANY rate … ?

At any rate, I’m thinking I have a point …

Microsoft, Apple, and others … ?

Should REALLY be doing a bit more to help those of us who aren’t computer literate be a touch safer.

If nothing else, though … ?

Well …

I’ll leave you with THIS link, courtesy of former Councillor, Karen Chilvers.

And warn you now: the cheeky sod’s have got a Facebook page … !

The Comantra Scam

You know, I’ve just been nattering to Kelly the Charmer, on Facebook, who’s confessed she had something of a worrying call …

From a company called Comantra, who say they are a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner.

Who’d ‘detected’ that her machine was running a touch on the slow side, and could give her a hand getting rid of any unwanted nasties on her version of Windoze …

On top of being a great singer and a competent musician, Kelly’s a bright woman.

And one with a nose for dead fish, bad eggs, and rats.

And flagged it up on Facebook, to see what she could dig up.

She’s also just told me that the actual call from this chap had a lot of interference for a call that — supposedly — originated in Bradford, and also stressed that the chap on the other end of the line got rather annoyed when she wouldn’t actually do anything, ’til she’d checked everything out.

Kelly’s a bright woman.

Kelly politely took the offered freephone number, and told him she’d call once she’d checked everything out: which, as I think I mentioned, she did by mentioning the call on Facebook, to see what she could see, and by Googling for any sort of information.

Looks like there’s a lot of that, for a company based in Bengal. None of it flattering.

»»»·«««

Now, I’m none too sure who’s you’d have to report this sort of thing to if you get a call from Comantra.

But from what Kelly’s told me … ?

It’s a scam.

And a great big smelly scam, at that …

»»»·«««