I've just been sent this message from an SFN member and thought I would bring it to your attention...
Hi Catherine.
A short while ago this morning I received a phone call from an Indian man pretending to be with Microsoft Windows technical team, he said that they had detected that there were serious problems with my internet browser that could result in my personal and banking details being accessed, he wanted me to go online and follow his instructions.
I said that I didn't believe he was who he claimed and he hung up. What is alarming is that he rang me here in France and knew my name. They are obviously targeting brit ex-pats in France to access their banking, passwords and ID theft.
I'm telling you as you are able to send out something to our members & friends on SF to warn them not to indulge these scammers, just hang up!
Brian interesting given previous discussions my last bill was the same as usual, it’s the next one I’m waiting for, after my calls ‘from Apple and Amazon’ initiated by them through their websites own support systems! It was when the support staff both said, thank you for calling… Then I immediately said…I’d better not be paying for this call, YOU phoned me… on both occasions there was no reply!
So collectively what can we do to, with, or about ORANGE and their appalling security!
I know you contacted the CEO of Orange, unfortunately I can’t find tuhe discussion where you put his name and the address you wrote to, can you put on again pls?
I know some think I’m a dork when it comes to my set up here, but the other day I bought a WiFi Cloud printer/copier/scanner, a Canon one suitable for use with MS with a SW disc included, and it is also compatible with my iPad on Applebut will it take mys stump info, NO! Although when switched on it shows wifi is available, but Amber error light is flashing! The ink cartridge holders just stopped working (ie moving back to correct position) after I’d inserted them!
I bought a new Kindle Paperwhite 2/3 weeks ago, same story, picked up wifi but then froze. Now the iPad won’t show any of the orange info, although it shows the Livebox name I’m using and is set up under their wi-if for iPad instructions.
So one KindleReturned as not ‘working’ and just picked up replacement Kindle yesterday and have charged It up. Not got as far as Frozen yet, so I refuse to proceed further now! Now I also refuse to blame all this on my brain or health ! I just typed in the name of my wifi set up Livebox, but it wouldn’t find it! For the new canon printer I Have downloaded on the iPad compatible app on here for wifi setup! No joy with that either.
Quite often the iPad messages, especially on Apple app weather or maps says that I have no internet service, although my location is set to be found when using the apple apps! I’ve also bought extra Apple cloud storage and this morning on updating settings, it wouldn’t finish doing it!
Is it Orange or am I back to my square 1 problem and I’ll never get rid of these problems?
I think changing my ISP Provider may be e answer! . Sadly my computer service company have relocated too far away to call out here again.
I can’t see any alternative! Like you I get loads of junk emails plus sms, not solicited! My fixed line telephone number is also strangly the same as one on an Internet Yellow Pages advertisement for a restaurant opposite the staton in LE Mans!
When I phoned the alternative number listed in my telephone directory, the person who answered the phone denied they were not connected with the restaurant!
Very bizarre, why should I have been allocated a telephone number that is already listed and allocated to another person.
It’s the only fixed line tel number I have given out to friends/family since arrival here. I was told the number by the person who installed all my equipment here, it’s also on my Orange paperwork and online customer account. I can’t forget the fact that my 1st call to Orange technical told me to go to the police! With what evidence, Questions or answers?
My daughter had a phone scam that cost us over an hour to sort out this morning. She had something that asked her if she wanted X, not sure what it was, she answered 'Non' but that was the wrong thing to do. Any response will do them. Just leave it, then delete after the call or message is over. Because she had answered we spent most of the time looking at websites and forums to see how others had got rid of it, eventually one thing worked. What we learned from the forum though, is that once they have you it tots up a massive bill that shows up for you on your phone bill. Her phone is Orange, but they have no really good screening which was obvious as we looked through the sites and forums where a lot of Orange customers have had a hard time getting rid of it. It happens increasingly, too often. It is time for the phone providers to do something about it.
I recieved a call on my mobile this morning, it wasn't the usual microsoft but a "Very Important message from Administration Francaise" whoever they are. After this recorded message played the phone cut off, I looked at the number to see if it was local and it seemed to be. I decided against phoning them back figuring it it was really important they'll write to me. There are scams everywhere these days, as for the Microsoft crew from India I just inform them my operating system is Linux and wish them a good day.
V interesting Jane? Just shows what goes on via internet these days.
Have a look at website CNIL its a French site, and about cookies, not mail, but there’sinfo about the European laws on privacy and how to stop intrusion. I came across it on the FNAC website which I was on for Apple. I want the LE Mans details.
All, this is going around since many years. If you want to have some fun check on youtube, like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFRtPus3DQ (note: The guy is working on a Linux machine:-))
Oh and as addition, if they ask you to install Teamviewer or similar, just dont do it, ok!
I've had some fun over the years with these "Windows" people. If I have the time, I play along, because they can often reveal features of Windows, which you don't normally come across.
However, the last time I had the call, I asked them to tell me my IP address. This was obviously a question above their pay grade, because I was immediately transferred to the "supervisor", to whom I repeated the question. He hung up and I have to say that I have received no more calls from them.
I've had 'Windows' calls in UK, Australia, so I would not be surprised that France would be on the list. How many of you with French sounding names have received such calls in English?
I have just been told that my order from Amazon was being processed. I had not ordered a ything and did not know the addressee. On closer inspection we could find faults with the spelling and grammar. However it closely resembled something from Amazon.
Beware, they want you to click on the link.
Do not do this, it is a scam.
No Shirley, it just means your number's not published so anyone that calls you either got the number from you or bought it. It think there are moves afoot to clamp down more on the "buying" side of things so having your number private, i.e. Liste Rouge, should become more effective. I hope.
I have recorded an answerphone message that says something like......'If you are a business and would like to contact Madame Dunk, please send me an email..(blah di blah)...rather than a message....'
I resorted to this because of the number of totally unintelligable,fast, garbled, French messages - left in response to some healthcare quotes.....At least with an email, I can Google translate it.....find the company's website, etc.
I now do not answer the phone if I dont recognise the number and recently I have recieved a lot of 'Private' number withheld calls......no attempt being made to leave a message....
I wonder if there is a website where one can enter the callers number, to find out where these calls are eminating from ?
Whoops ! have just scrolled up through the responses and found 'Qui est ca numero ?'.....good, will give it a try, merci bien !
Quite .sandra, I was expecting the 2 calls, they were instantaneous both times, thTs why I answered and like you and others I don’t answer calls where I don’t know the number. My friends numbers are in the phone names list so it shows their names when they ring. I have to answer the local code ones, because I sometimes if rarely get a call from the hospital or my doctors. I even have the taxi co number listed with name of my driver or the owner,in home and mobile phones.
John, I’ve never heard of liste Rouge, i’ll certainly look it up! But would it stop calls from Apple or MS also if I was expecting them?
Last time I got one of these calls I played the guy by pretending to follow his instructions to fix my problem. After ten minutes or so when he asked what had come up on the screen, I gasped and said it was a VERY rude message. "What does it say?" said he ... "---- off!!" said I, and hung up. Not had another one since.
I don't know if you're aware of the roadside scam where someone in a foreign reg vehicle stops you with a sob story about having been robbed and needing money to return home to Italy, Romania, Turkey, wherever? They offer you some security for the "loan" which at face value seems OK but subsequently will turn out to be worthless. I was aware of the scam because a friend of mine was caught in the eighties and ended up with two worthless "swede" coats. My wife had forgotten about that incident so when I was accosted on the RN7 by the latest generation of scammers and having lowered my window only a couple of inches to make sure it wasn't somebody in real distress gave them a piece of my mind and drove off. They were quite aggressive and intimidating but my poor wife, until I explained, felt sorry for them and couldn't understand my response to their request for "help".
We have had these for years now !! both from 'Windows' (my friend said when they called he simply pretended to be thick and told them he just had new windows and he was pleased with them thankyou ! - my OH answered a call from Microsoft saying there was a problem with his Orange computer ......well, h e knows absolutely nothing about computers - so he said Hang on, I'll go and look in her office' .....then he got back to them and said 'there is a black computer, and a grey one, but I can't see an orange one'....so they went (wonder why ?) .........like you say, it is annoying - just this week I have had in total 14 calls from numbers I don't recognise ...mostly starting 01, which is Paris region ....and various others. When I look on Que Est ca numero ? it always tells me the number is not known and may be on the liste rouge ! Trouble is, if you are actually waiting for a call, you have to answer the phone - for instance, our doc rings a few times, and no number is visible and she will not leave a message - so it gets tedious !
Hi Shirley. One never knows, but I doubt it. Whilst it is possible to be charged part of the cost for receiving a call from abroad, I generally don't answer numbers that I don't know, and everyone that knows me knows that I won't answer any number that the phone shows as "privé". If they come through on the mobile, I block their future access.
My point would be that you shouldn't have to resort to this sort of behaviour.
When I worked in London, we'd come in in the morning to find all the FAX paper used up and all over the floor from stupid advertisers that had inundated the office overnight. I say "stupid" because who the Hell is going to use a company that inflicts that upon you? More likely to FAX them back a portrait of your nether-regions.
