Unsolicited Telephone Calls for Windows Support

[Uncas]

Recently, I’ve have been getting telephone calls from oversees individuals (from India) telling me that they have noticed that I am having issues with my Windows program on my PC.

In each case (for the three separate phone calls that I thus far received) the individual correctly knew my first and last name. However, I did not give out any information.  When I did query the individual further about who they were and that I told them for all they knew, I could be just as easily been running Mac instead of Windows for my OS, they simply hung up.

Secondly, I have an unlisted and unpublished telephone number.  The only people who would have access to my telephone number would be HP support and my immediate family. 

Lastly, these telephone calls started when I first called HP for assistance in late June 2012.  Therefore I have now removed my telephone number in the personal contact information from HP’s support page PERMANENTLY!

I find it totally ironic that when I called HP support shortly after the last telephone call to vociferously protest the incident, the HP tech rep, ‘Ray’ if that was his real name (also an Indian) told me that HP has been getting other numerous complaints regarding this exact same issue.  After hearing this statement I told ‘Ray’ I’d fire anyone I caught running this scam.  He then adamantly denied that HP would ever allow anyone employed by them to use my personal contact information (telephone number) for their advantage.  Unimpressed and considering at best his dubious defense, I said ‘Yeah, I’m sure!  If I could, I’d fire you too!’

It’s bad enough that HP has to outsource some of their online support to overseas call centers but do I now have to deal with annoying and unsolicited telephone calls from potential thieves?  What's next? Can I expect to see bogus charges begin to appear on my credit card?

If I call HP ever again for support service and I hear a foreign voice (Indian) from an overseas call center, I will hang up and wait until I can speak with someone from NORTH AMERICA during normal business hours (Monday through Friday). 

Nevertheless, if HP cannot soon resolve this issue, and I continue to receive these spurious telephone calls, HP can be assured that I will return my computer that I just ordered on July 5, 2012 and demand nothing less than a full and unconditional refund regardless of their ‘21 day return policy’!

Let me also add that I’ve owned two Dell computers for the past several years before I recently  decided to purchase my HP Pavilion and never have I had to experience such absolute and total BRAVO SIERRA!

[Matt_Lo]

I have also been getting calls from these scammers. The guy I talk to claimed to be from Vancouver and that he worked with the "Microsoft Hardware Department" and that I had a virus and he needed access to my computer. I laughed at his claimed and told him he didn't know the first thing about computers, which got him very angry. I then proceeded to tell him a had a Mac. He got angry again and said that I could have told him that from the beginning. I said, "if you knew I had a virus, you shoulda known what kind of computer I had." He then hung up and never called be back (thank goodness cause that was the 5th time they called me).

If you ever let these guys in your computer, I would recommend backing up your personal data and perform a system recovery immediately. I would also recommend contacting the authorities and perhaps your phone company as well.

[Uncas]

Hi Matt,

I’m way out in front of this one.  I had no intention of indulging these insolent little pukes since they seemed so ‘bogus’ from the get go.  I immediately surmised that the call was being made from an ‘overseas call center’ since it sounded like they had me on a speaker phone as it was difficult to hear and understand the caller with all the background noise (and not unlike my usual overseas experience when I’ve contacted HP support).  

Incidentally, HP’s office in Palo Alto has already contacted me so they seem to be very interested in investigating the scammer(s).   After all is said and done, I hope they get a few scalps and seriously ‘can’ some butts because something ‘wicked’ their way comes!

Thanks for sharing.

Uncas

[wdharvey11]

I've had the same problem...ever since connecting my new computer from HP to the internet, seems I have been getting these calls more than a few times a week.  After cursing the person out on the other end, and letting them know I'm on the "do not call" registry, and that if they call m again, I will be forced to call the police, they hang up.  Sometimes, I even mess with them, in hopes they will get a hint.  I NEVER got these calls before my contact with HP...seems they have a leak in their security or something....

I'd like to know how we can have these calls REALLY investigated...it seems to be a rash of calls amongst new computer purchases....

[Uncas]

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@wdharvey11 wrote:

I've had the same problem...ever since connecting my new computer from HP to the internet, seems I have been getting these calls more than a few times a week.  After cursing the person out on the other end, and letting them know I'm on the "do not call" registry, and that if they call m again, I will be forced to call the police, they hang up.  Sometimes, I even mess with them, in hopes they will get a hint.  I NEVER got these calls before my contact with HP...seems they have a leak in their security or something....

I'd like to know how we can have these calls REALLY investigated...it seems to be a rash of calls amongst new computer purchases....

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Ah, and so the plot thickens.  It appears that HP now has a serious breach of security protocol.  They need to '**bleep** this one in the bud' before it really gets out of hand.  So....

'Yehaw, saddle up the elephants Meg!', says  Marshal Earp .  'Looks like we going to have to organize a POSSE before these CYBERADOES get too far and the trail gets too cold.'

[Uncas]

Hey Folks,

I just received another unsolicited telephone call, this time for ' A FREE ONLINE SERVICE' from an overseas (Indian) call center today, Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 12:25 pm and again at 1:45 pm, EST. Although I have not received any bogus telephone calls since July 31 (21 days ago) this is my now my 7th and 8th telephone call. I thought maybe by now the problem was resolved. Obviously these little pukes didn't get the last office MEMO, did they?

Incidentally, when I asked the caller how he got my telephone number, he told me from a data base! And whose data base might that be since my telephone number is unlisted and unpublished?

HP really needs to get on top of this and take care of this bravo sierra once and for all.

As before, I will continue to send a post to my 'HP rep' via PM every time I receive an unsolicited bogus telephone call from your overseas (Indian) call center until the calls FINALLY CEASE.

[REO51ST]

This guy went as far as to let the caller remote logon to his computer.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Cafe-and-Lounge/i-will-never-buy-another-hp-because-of-the-support-i...

Be safe.

[Uncas]

 

 

 

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@REO51ST wrote:

This guy went as far as to let the caller remote logon to his computer.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Cafe-and-Lounge/i-will-never-buy-another-hp-because-of-the-support-i...

Be safe.

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The clown (who called) was so bad he couldn't even speak or comprehend simple English so he never got more than a few choice words of the King's English from me. In fact, he sounded no different than a lot of HP's overseas  'online  support assistants'  working at their (Indian) call centers!

Once again my concern: WHAT'S HP GOING TO DO ABOUT THE BOGUS TELEPHONE CALLS! :smileymad::smileymad::smileymad:

[JeffHelp1]

08/21/12 - Jeff reached out to customer

[Nighthunter226]

Basically there is nothing HP can do as it already has top of the line security. The only thing you can do is keep calling the fraud squad etc. and hanging up on the "Pukes" that call you.

Yours

Greg