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Thread: What happens if I push "windows" and "delete" keys?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    What happens if I push "windows" and "delete" keys?

    I got a phone call today from Alex. In a barely understandable accent he told me that he saw that my computer was full of harmful files and wanted to help me. When I expressed distress at the problem, he turned me over to the WindowsCare (a partner of Microsoft!) supervisor. Paul had an equally strong accent. He wanted me to push the "windows" key and the "delete" keys (well I think that is what he said; hard to be sure).
    That seemed like a bad idea, so I hung up.

    I presume the goal was to turn something off, so I would have to pay them to learn how to turn it back on. So what do these keys do? Google doesn't show anything, but perhaps I misunderstood Paul.

  2. #2
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    Pressing the Windows key brings up the Start menu and puts the cursor in the Search / Run box. Pressing delete removes anything that might have been pre-populated in that area. The next thing they would have you do is type some command they want you to run.

    Yes, this phone call you got is a scam. See http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2...-ars-technica/
    And there was trouble, taking place...

  3. #3
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    Thanks.
    I feel sorry for the poor sobs who have to make the phone calls.

  4. #4
    They would probably have had him going through regedit or ip config so they could either get him to delete things he wouldn't want to delete, or help him find his IP address so that they could get onto his PC.

  5. #5
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    I had a similar call a few weeks ago. I knew the moment the person told me they were with Microsoft and they wanted to help me fix my computer that it was a scam because my computer actually two of them were working just fine. I hung up on them. My computers are still working just fine.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

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  6. #6
    I put them on speakerphone and play with them for 10 or 20 minutes. They hear me typing in the background...maybe doing some CAD or PCB work. Not to feed any stereotypes, but it's always pretty entertaining when the Indian guy pretending to be a mild mannered, patient, kind and understanding tech support fellow finally looses his cool and starts shouting obscenities in at least two different languages.

  7. #7
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    We got the call last week. We jerked them around for a while before we became bored. Then we told them that we had only Macs. I hope we made them mad enough that they will take us off their list. - probably just wistful thinking
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Pixley View Post
    We got the call last week. We jerked them around for a while before we became bored. Then we told them that we had only Macs. I hope we made them mad enough that they will take us off their list. - probably just wistful thinking
    Shawn, for shame.
    These folks have to make a living too!

    Bruce
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  9. #9
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    Thanks for the warning. I might just be dumb enough to believe them.

    Rick Potter

  10. #10
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    Okay..... I just found one of the first advantages of being deaf!

    This actually happened to me a couple months ago......

    While I have a cochlear implant and do quite well in face to face conversations, telephone and television audio are of such poor quality that they can be very difficult to understand.

    My wife answered the phone.....I am the "nerd" of the family and she is of the "computer ignorant" class. She gave me the phone....the guy gave me his schpeel....and I said I'm sorry.....I'm deaf and use a CI to hear and dont' do well on the phone. The guy hung up. LOL!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  11. #11
    One of the ways to fix this is to not have a home phone to be called on. I've got a el cheapo walmart cell phone, and I don't answer it if I don't know who is calling.

    I really don't miss having a home telephone at all.

  12. #12
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    I tell them I only run Linux at home, then sit back and listen while they try to tell me it's just like Windows.
    Paul

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wade Lippman View Post
    Thanks.
    I feel sorry for the poor sobs who have to make the phone calls.
    Or the ones that push the Windows and Delete keys.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Cherry View Post
    One of the ways to fix this is to not have a home phone to be called on.
    That's what we did.
    My Android phone hangs up on all 800, 888, etc. numbers unless I tell it it's a good number.
    "Call Control" is pretty cool.
    Never, under any circumstances, consume a laxative and sleeping pill, on the same night

  15. #15
    This is pure business. There are enough dummies out there to make it worthwhile to go through all you pain in the people. LOL
    Last edited by Bruce Page; 09-27-2013 at 2:59 PM.

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