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Very Disturbing Phone Call I Just got!
My phone rings and the Caller ID shows this:
Caller says he is from Dell and asks for me by name? Smelling something rotten I asked why the Caller ID didn't show Dell. He said it was because he was using an Internet Phone. Then asked if I was at the computer, said yes, and then he said it was sending out reports to them of errors on my computer. He said to make sure it was the correct computer he'd like to check the Service Tag... no way I'm telling him that and he proceeded to give me MY SERVICE TAG! Then the scam started, look at my Event Viewer and all the errors and warnings... at that point I hung up (and he didn't call back of course).
So I called Dell Support and spoke to them. Of course they told me it wasn't them who called and it was a scam. Surprisingly I was told this has been happening to many people.
I was concerned HOW they got the 3 pieces of info, name, number, and Service Tag. Asked to speak to a Supervisor. Eventually he confirmed they've been getting calls from customers like this. Dell Security is investigating.
Afraid that my Dell Credit card was compromised I call Dell Financial as well. They too say the data is safe.
Well, be warned.
Oh, I did call the number back and got a recorded message, "This call could not be completed because I was trying to reach a Skype user"?
Oh well.
speedstep
9 Legend
9 Legend
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47K Posts
0
April 13th, 2015 06:00
Getting to your computer is usually done with malicious sites and or email links. Malwarebytes will not detect this as its not on your machine but rather a link on an email server or website that you have been referred to. This is not attributable to Dell specifically its a microsoft problem. And windows isn't the only vunerable OS which is why Java is updated 4,576,344 times a year.
Current Version is Java 8 U40 I think. Java 7 became End of life in april. The Vunerable Website in these cases is setup to Deliberately be vunerable.Oracle has changed the way they package their installation files from v7 to v8.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\jre1.8.0_40\jre1.8.0_40.msi
Phishbum
7 Posts
0
May 19th, 2015 18:00
I just got the same call several times, they are relentless. Scary the knew my Service Tag, phone number, wife's phone number and my e-mail address. Dell most certainly has some leaks from their India Support Center or worse their website has been compromised.
itsnotmeitsdell
2 Posts
0
November 18th, 2015 17:00
Same here! However, what even scarier is the fact that DELL is aware and has been for quite some time now....dating back to 2012 (according to my quick search).
I found many many posts about the scammers calling folks (home/cell phones) with their service tags, the type of computer they have, etc. Customers are trying to figure out the scammers got their service tag #s. DELL said the information is confidential and secured; no hack attacks. HA!, ok. Well customers say they have never posted their service tag #s online (i.e, forums, public sites, etc.) Some say they only find the need to use their service tag # when they call Dell Tech Supp.
In my case, when I do decide to answer unknown calls or numbers that I'm unfamiliar with and they turn out to be scammers, I tend to have a little fun. What a hilarious day today has been. Out of 5 calls I answered twice and was told to go to *** both times.
The first call came from "California". Yes, they gave me my service tag #. Yes, they told me I was having network issues. Yes, they told I bought a Dell Insipron. He told me that they were getting signals that my computer was having network issues and it may have a virus. I said, burst out in laughter and said Really!!?, try that on someone else! I was told to go to *** and he hung up.
A few hours later the called came in from an "unknown" number. The same information was given by the scammer, service, etc. I asked the guy was he calling from Dell and he said no, he was calling from Dell Technical Dept. I asked where he was located; he said in Dell's Tech Dept in India - Delphi. Right...hmm Ok. I asked him for his name, he said Chris. I asked for his customer rep #; he said 1-800-424-1235. I said no, your Dell employee # and he then gave me the ID #5531. He then began to tell me the reason for the call was because they were following up to my technical issues and they were picking up network security issues. I said really, like right now! He said yes ma'am you called Dell with issues that your computer would not boot and we've been monitoring those issues and your internet connections and it seems to be some issues with the number of devices you have connected to your internet right now. I said whoa, you mean to tell me Dell is monitoring my computer like right now? He said no we're not monitoring your computer ma'am. I said well how do you know what’s on my network; are you monitoring my network. He continued....Ma’am we can see network traffic coming through our servers through blah blah (nonsense)….I said really? Ma'am how many devices to you have connected to the internet right now when you bought your computer it came with remote services and monitoring capabilities. I said, “Ohh, okay!” Well tell how does that work? Huh, how is that possible? Ma’am we need to fix these issues; we have the ability to take care of these issues because your machine could be infected right now. I said you can see my machine right now; like you can see my computer right now!!! And my whole network can be infected right now??!! Oh my goodness!!! Are you serious!!! (KMSL)
He was ma'am, you're not taking this serious! You're connected to internet right now?, (no answer from me) ma’am, how many different devices do you have connected? I paused (while LOL) and said very calmly.....ahhhh….let’s see...right now?.....hmmm…..None, I'm not on the internet.
He said, Go to ***!!! And Hung Up!!!!!!!!!!!!
KMSL!!! I wonder if they’re going to take me off of their call list! L ahh man
Admit DELL, everyone else is doing it!
~It'syou - Notme!~
itsnotmeitsdell
2 Posts
0
November 18th, 2015 17:00
Same here! However, what even scarier is the fact that DELL is aware and has been for quite some time now....dating back to 2012 (according to my quick search).
I found many many posts about the scammers calling folks (home/cell phones) with their service tags, the type of computer they have, etc. Customers are trying to figure out the scammers got their service tag #s. DELL said the information is confidential and secured; no hack attacks. HA!, ok. Well customers say they have never posted their service tag #s online (i.e, forums, public sites, etc.) Some say they only find the need to use their service tag # when they call Dell Tech Supp.
In my case, when I do decide to answer unknown calls or numbers that I'm unfamiliar with and they turn out to be scammers, I tend to have a little fun. What a hilarious day today has been. Out of 5 calls I answered twice and was told to go to *** both times.
The first call came from "California". Yes, they gave me my service tag #. Yes, they told me I was having network issues. Yes, they told I bought a Dell Insipron. He told me that they were getting signals that my computer was having network issues and it may have a virus. I said, burst out in laughter and said Really!!?, try that on someone else! I was told to go to *** and he hung up.
A few hours later the called came in from an "unknown" number. The same information was given by the scammer, service, etc. I asked the guy was he calling from Dell and he said no, he was calling from Dell Technical Dept. I asked where he was located; he said in Dell's Tech Dept in India - Delphi. Right...hmm Ok. I asked him for his name, he said Chris. I asked for his customer rep #; he said 1-800-424-1235. I said no, your Dell employee # and he then gave me the ID #5531. He then began to tell me the reason for the call was because they were following up to my technical issues and they were picking up network security issues. I said really, like right now! He said yes ma'am you called Dell with issues that your computer would not boot and we've been monitoring those issues and your internet connections and it seems to be some issues with the number of devices you have connected to your internet right now. I said whoa, you mean to tell me Dell is monitoring my computer like right now? He said no we're not monitoring your computer ma'am. I said well how do you know what’s on my network; are you monitoring my network. He continued....Ma’am we can see network traffic coming through our servers through blah blah (nonsense)….I said really? Ma'am how many devices to you have connected to the internet right now when you bought your computer it came with remote services and monitoring capabilities. I said, “Ohh, okay!” Well tell how does that work? Huh, how is that possible? Ma’am we need to fix these issues; we have the ability to take care of these issues because your machine could be infected right now. I said you can see my machine right now; like you can see my computer right now!!! And my whole network can be infected right now??!! Oh my goodness!!! Are you serious!!! (KMSL)
He was ma'am, you're not taking this serious! You're connected to internet right now?, (no answer from me) ma’am, how many different devices do you have connected? I paused (while LOL) and said very calmly.....ahhhh….let’s see...right now?.....hmmm…..None, I'm not on the internet.
He said, Go to ***!!! And Hung Up!!!!!!!!!!!!
KMSL!!! I wonder if they’re going to take me off of their call list! ahh man
I simply report it to Government Authorities as appropriate.
Admit DELL, everyone else is doing it!
~It'syou - Notme!~
kirkd
5.2K Posts
0
November 19th, 2015 06:00
Your Service Tag number and other computer info is also stored on your PC. It's just as likely that the scammers acquired the info directly from your computer and not from Dell. These scammers also are very tricky and have users actually tell them the info and then agree that that is the correct info.
ieee488
4 Operator
4 Operator
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11.1K Posts
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November 19th, 2015 06:00
It is very easy to get infected by malware by going to a website that has been hacked. It happened to me which is why I mostly use Linux now. I have Windows PCs because I use and write software for them because of work.
While you lay the blame on Dell, you may very well have to point the finger at yourself.
speedstep
9 Legend
9 Legend
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47K Posts
1
November 19th, 2015 07:00
Service Tag and other information can be had REMOTELY via keyloggers, maleware. as well as by using WMIC commands
Hackers can infect 1 machine behind your firewall and use WMIC to get your info remotely.
This is also a reason to not use your real name or address or phone number when installing software .
Open cmd prompt and type.
wmic csproduct get vendor,name,identifyingnumber