Dear Windows........Can't you do something to put our minds at rest?

oops 'hear'.....that'll teach me to proof read a bit better.

We can spread the word on Gransnet. Every bit of knowledge we can pass on about these scams and hoaxes will help arm others against them. Maybe a new thread called "Don't fall for this one".

I shall go and start it now!

My Dad (91) has had similar calls - he does have a computer, and switched it on under the instructions from the man on the phone. Luckily Dad did not know how to do what was being asked of him. The man rang Dad back 3 times and when he rang me about it he was in quite a fluster - how angry that makes me!

I also feel that some banks take advantage of elderly people. When my mother died 6 years ago, my Dad (then 85) was left a small amount and he went to his local bank (who he has been with for decades) and asked what he should best do with it. They sold him a 'product' that involved a 2 year wait for any interest and an annual fee, and was high risk - true exploitation I believe - and wholly inappropriate for a man of that age. We did nothing for 2 reasons: we did not want to make him feel a fool, and we did not want to be accused of having an eye to our inheritance. A very difficult situation, that simply should not have arisen.

I've put a whole new thread on to the tech topic. Lets hope everyone who comes across a scam will tell us about it, and give a link to an official explanation and advice, if they can.

Have had a similar experience but will head over to your new thread. The more we expose these scams the better we'll equip ourselves to deal with them. However internet scams are one thing - I think it's a very different scandal when an apparently reputable bank should take advantage of an elderly man in that situation.

Mishap, it is so difficult when money is involved and we are all so damned polite about it. I think that's what some banks rely on nowadays, its just about selling as many 'products' as possible. If the elderly person is amenable a conversation about a Power of Attorney might be a good one. Its a way in to offering a bit of advice even if you dont action it. My FIL slowly became confused, at first he just needed a bit of guidance but eventually my husband had to do it all. Sparing the loved ones feelings is a valid point but if someone has the bad manners to accuse you of trying to control your inheritance then they have a very poor grasp of the matter. To be quite honest there will be far fewer 'inheritances', it will be much more about safeguarding funds for care and support as more of us dwindle away slowly. All too often elderly people are at the mercy of criminals and even 'reputable' firms so any mechanism that enables those that care to keep such people at bay cannot be a bad thing. Even if one has a Power of Attorney and has to operate it you have to be transparent with your dealings and you can be called to justify your actions if someone dissagrees.

I have been subject to those scams twice...and got ''so far'' before I realised I was being scammed. They are so convincing..but I did not hand over any money. 'they' even had another 'try' last week !!!!

Grumpy, I do beleive ther is a sort of 'Sucker' list that gets passed around. If someone thinks you are easy pray you get more of the same. Lor, what is the world coming to when we cant see the good in people anymore!!!

Some time ago I received a phone call like this. I was told my computer was downloading an illegal file and if it wasn't removed my computer would crash within a week. I thanked them for calling and said I would get my usual computer "go to guy" to fix it for me. I then rang my IT suppliers own tech department and they told me there is no way anyone can tell what your computer is downloading and to ignore the call. Surprise surprise my computer did not crash within a week.

The time's we have been rung or e-mailed about the personel injurie's claim we where processing are unbelieveable,and many of these where before we bought our car.All of the caller's had a thick foreign accent.Just remember never be persueded to give out any details as sometime's they can be so convincing as a neighbour of mine found out to late.

The scammers must be so dim! If someone can't pronounce my (very ordinary name) - am I going to bother to listen? I don't think so!
Now if they got Nigel Havers or Judi Dench doing it, I might be more likely to fall for it!!

True Glamma, there are folks who get fooled, and the trouble is they are sometimes too embarrassed to do anything about it. The more we bang on about how credible these people can sound, the more others will realise they are not the only ones to be fooled. The very first time we had this 'Windows' call was last year, we had just moved house (again) got over a family death and were exhusted mentally and physically. The phone rang, I caught the phrase ' computer virus' and thought 'typical something else going wrong'. I passed the call to husband, who normally is very good on computers. He listened and responded vaugely but luckily became concerned and ended the call. Until that time we had not heard of these scams. Neither of are elderly, and we are both bright but at certain times one's defences are down.

We`ve been getting these on a regular basis for months, we`ve had 3 this since yesterday.

Gosh Numberplease.....enough to try the patience of a saint. I think I'm going to see if we can change our phone at some point to one that displays the incomming caller....as on a mobile.

Good idea for a new thread Elegran, thank you.

You can stop unsolicited calls by registering with TPS the telephone preference service www.tpsonline.org.uk. This will stop any nuisance calls and its free.........

I'm registered with TPS grannysanny, unfortunately it doesn't seem to stop a lot of these calls. Like numberplease I get them on a regular basis, have done for the past 18 months. Sometimes there is a break for a month or so and then they start again. I had one only last night. I just tell them I don't have a computer.

TPS does not stop calls from abroaad.

No it jolly well does not Elegran!.........I've been looking at new phones on the web already!

lor, reading that back makes it look as If I'm yelling at you Elegran - sorry.....am agreeing with you!

What amuses/amazes me is when a caller with a thick Indian accent introduces himself as Roger or some other very English name and then expects you to believe what he says.

We are registered with TPS as well, just wish there was a service that stopped all these nuisance calls from abroad. We have caller display, but a couple of relatives come up as "withheld number", so although we can ignore the ones that say International, we have to answer the others just in case.

Modern phones have a number blocking facility, we have about 20 blocked numbers. The person ringing gets a ringing tone that is never answered because it does not get through to me.
I am so sick of "John" ringing supposedly from England, when we know he is in Delhi, I say Mrs Harri isn't here and put the phone down. One of these days it will be the man from Littlewood's and I will scupper myself.

I have also registered with the TPS, but when I can be bothered I sometimes have a bit of fun with callers. Recently I had a call (from India) and as soon as I realised what kind of call it was I asked for the telephone number and address of the organisation so that I could complain to the Ombudsman. It's information they can't give out, but I do enjoy being very severe (although always polite) and insisting that they are breaking a conduct code and therefore must be reported to the proper authorities. I've had a range of very interesting responses to this tactic, but it always finishes with a promise (huh!) to delete my name from their database.