Just had a call to say there are viruses in my tablet.

I have got some money with State Bank of India and I received an e mail saying my account was blocked.
The money is safe as the bank is backed by the FSA.
I did check with the bank and they confirmed nothing was wrong.
I could look at the account over the internet but I have never had this set up as the account does not mature for another 3 years.

Frank

Why, when I see this thread title, do I keep on thinking of chemists and contaminated meds!

I seem to have missed out on these. Its just ppi insurance refunds and extra loft insulation around here. I am well aware of the scams and I could enjoy playing someone along. If I have nothing better to do.

I've read that if you get one of those con calls you should keep on hitting the### key before hanging up, as it scrambles their computer. Not sure if it works, but worth a try.

I've had those calls, and told them (truthfully) that I have an apple computer. This confuses them because they have nothing in the script to deal with this response.

But mostly, I just do the ### key thing.

They might get some abuse down the phone though

What a brilliant idea, GD aged three can witter for Britain and the beauty is she does not sound like a three year old

yoga love it.

My DS sometimes passes the phone to his 3 year old daughter who loves talking on the phone and she will chatter for ages given the chance

Not just LLoyds. Every major bank has a shadow scammer sending out blanket emails to customers and non-customers alike warning them of problems, and the minor ones probably get their share too. The genuine websites of all these banks have links where you can forward your email to them so that you can help identify and stop the scammers.

Yes, Frank, I mysteriously have acquired a Lloyds Bank account!

Busy lot, these scammers. If they put as much effort into a real job they would be very successful.

O'h I have just had an e mail to say access to my account at Lloyds has been suspended.
Unless some mystery benefactor has deposited money on my behalf at that bank I am finding it strange as I have never had an account with that bank.

Frank

There must be enough takers for it to be worth their while.

Good plan, aka, speaker phone and all that. I like it! . A suggestion from a young person I know is to take the phone into the bathroom and flush the loo.

I've had these calls too but for a 'computer' ... I cut them off quickly. I wonder how many people are taken in by them?

It was quite good fun to 'take them seriously' and ask which computer had the problem. Is it the Acer, the HP or the Dell? Its the Acer madam, or really, we've never had one of those!

Normal cold calls are just wasting your time but these are just trying to con you and should be treated with no more respect than someone trying to rob you.

Aka, I had not thought of that. I just want to get rid of them without letting on that I am 65+.

If I'm not rushed I like to play with these caller, the old 'my hearing aid's playing up' or 'this is a terrible line' is a good one. Try asking their name and then going to get a pencil to write it down. I sometimes put them on speaker phone so I can get on with my housework while I waffle on in the background muttering indistinctly while asking them to speak up. Not had any calls recently though

Just say as I do that I do not possess a computer and that gets rid of them.

A couple of years ago a very naive friend of mine followed their instructions to the letter. I think that she spent the best part of an hour on her computer. She told me that she did not pay them anything but I do not believe her as I doubt if she would have wanted to tell me seeing my reaction. All that she can do is send and receive emails as she has no idea how it works and is actually quite scared of it!

I like it too nina - I always come up with the perfect retort at least half an hour after the phone call

Frank It's a scam. Tell 'em to bugger off...
Love your reaction, ninathenana
Back to the tennis...

The calls I've had like this have all been when there is no device switched on. The last one told me it was ' imperative you turn on your computer now'

I told him 'it's imperative you get off my phone now'

"not in a convenient position to [answer]".

Frank, I adore your turn of phrase there

i usually field these calls when I'm staying (cat-sitting) in DS's house. When the caller tells me there's a problem with their PC, my stock response is, 'That's strange. They have an Apple.' Not true, but it shuts them up.