Podcast Summary
Unsolicited call from tech support scam: Apple, like other legitimate companies, won't call you unsolicited to ask for passwords or computer access. Hang up and report scam calls.
Unsolicited calls from 1-800 numbers, even those claiming to be from tech support companies like Apple, can be scams. In this particular instance, a listener named PJ received a call warning him about suspicious activity on his iCloud account. The caller claimed to be a certified Apple technician and requested access to his computer to resolve the issue. However, when PJ became suspicious and asked for verification, the caller became aggressive and threatened to destroy his social media accounts and leak the content onto a porn site. The call was actually a scam, and the caller was trying to trick PJ into giving them access to his computer to install malware. It's important to remember that legitimate companies, including Apple, will never call you unsolicited to ask for your password or access to your computer. If you receive such a call, hang up and contact the company directly through their official channels to report the incident.
Selling computer services through deception: Be cautious of unsolicited calls or messages requesting access to personal devices or information. Always verify the identity and intentions before sharing sensitive details.
During the conversation, it became clear that the speaker is involved in selling computer services, potentially through less than ethical means. He mentioned making around 6-7 sales a day, totaling approximately $28,100, keeping half of the revenue. When asked about feeling bad about scamming people, he dismissed the concern, stating that "you guys have a lot of money." The speaker also shared an experience where he gained remote access to a person's computer under false pretenses, using a technique called netstat to make it appear as if their iCloud had been compromised and a Zeus trojan was detected. This interaction highlights the importance of being cautious when dealing with unsolicited calls or messages, especially those requesting access to personal devices or information. Always verify the identity and intentions of the person before sharing sensitive details.
Let scammers finish their script: Don't interrupt scammers, let them finish their pitch to identify their tactics and inconsistencies.
During a call with a suspected scammer, it's important not to be too eager to expose their scheme and instead let them finish their script. The speaker learned this the hard way when he revealed his knowledge too soon, causing the scammer to hang up. The website the technician directed him to, Quick PC resolve, was also a red flag, but the speaker was able to point out the inconsistencies and ultimately ended the call without giving out his credit card information. The conversation was frustrating and lengthy. The speaker also shared his perspective on the complexities of human behavior and past conflicts, but ultimately the focus was on recognizing and dealing with scams effectively.
An unexpectedly complex tech support encounter: Be cautious when dealing with tech support companies, as encounters can involve unprofessional and aggressive individuals. Thoroughly research and investigate any suspicious activities.
A seemingly simple call to a tech support company led to an unexpected and complex encounter. The individual on the call, who introduced himself as Rusty Savage but was actually named Alex, became defensive and angry when questioned about his identity. It was later discovered that he was working for the same company but was sitting next to another representative. During the call, Alex made derogatory comments about the caller's appearance and age, and when the caller tried to call back, he was unable to reach him. Through research, it was discovered that the company, Quick PC Resolve, was linked to several other scammy tech support websites. One of these websites, Acostings.com, was associated with a company called Acoustings Infotech Private Limited. The name of the company was unusual, and the website was different from the others, leading the researchers to believe that it may have been a legitimate business. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of being cautious when dealing with tech support companies and the potential for encounters with unprofessional and aggressive individuals. It also highlights the need for thorough research and investigation when trying to uncover the truth behind suspicious activities.
Call Center in New Delhi Hides Identity of Key Figure: A call center in New Delhi, India, uses a local address and phone number to hide the identity of a key figure, Kamal Verma, while employing young students from the northeastern part of India to handle technical support calls for various companies.
Despite the various websites and phone numbers for technical support services appearing different, they all lead to the same call center, Acoustings, located in New Delhi, India. The call center employees, including the elusive Kamal Verma, use respectful terms to refer to each other, suggesting a hierarchical structure. Alex, from Reply All, made repeated attempts to reach Kamal, but was met with resistance and unclear responses. Former employees of the call center, who requested anonymity, revealed that most of the employees were young students from the northeastern part of India and had little experience before joining Acoustings. Despite the call center's attempts to conceal Kamal's identity, it is believed that he holds a significant position within the organization. The use of a local address and phone number, rather than a toll-free number, adds to the deception and complexity of the scam.
From Legitimate Tech Support to Scam Operations: Acoustics, a tech support company, deceives customers with scams while exploiting rural Indian employees, threatening them if they speak out and withholding salaries.
Acoustics, a tech support company, started with legitimate intentions but evolved into a fraudulent business model. The company recruits employees from rural areas of India, promising them honest jobs, but later engages them in committing tech support scams. The employees, desperate for survival, continue to participate despite knowing the illegitimacy of their actions due to the lack of employment opportunities in their hometowns. The company's reach extends beyond India, as they take payments through checks in the US. The employees are threatened with harm if they speak out, and salaries are often delayed or withheld entirely. High turnover rates and disappearances of employees, like Alex Martin, are common. The company started as a legitimate tech support business but transitioned into a scam to generate more business, misrepresenting themselves to customers and exploiting employees.
Investigators used a tactic to disrupt scammers' routine: Scammers use confederates, posing as Microsoft reps, to trick people into giving remote access. Disrupting their routine can yield valuable info, potentially exposing a $2M annual scam.
Scammers often use confederates based in the victim's country to carry out their schemes. This was discovered during an investigation into Acostings, a company suspected of running a tech support scam. The scammers would pose as Microsoft representatives and trick people into giving them remote access to their computers. To throw them off balance, the investigator attempted to lure them into connecting to a computer with a desktop background featuring their own faces and those of their bosses. This plan, while unusual, was effective in disrupting their routine and gaining valuable information. The investigation revealed that Acostings was likely making around $2,000,000 annually, and the people taking calls were being mistreated while the mastermind, Kamal, was reaping the profits. Despite numerous attempts, Kamal could not be reached, adding to his enigmatic status as the elusive villain in this tech support scam saga.
Unexpected revelation during a conversation: Be aware of disguised identities and be cautious when communicating with unfamiliar individuals, especially those who ask for personal info or money.
Communication can sometimes lead to unexpected revelations. In this conversation, Alex Martin, who initially seemed friendly and interested in playing video games together, suddenly became hostile and revealed himself to be Kamal, the person who had previously tried to scam the speaker out of money. The speaker was taken aback by this revelation and realized that they had been talking to the scammer all along. Kamal tried to downplay the situation and asked the speaker to stop calling during business hours. The conversation highlights the importance of being aware of one's surroundings and the potential for disguised identities in unexpected places. It also underscores the need to be cautious when communicating with unfamiliar individuals, especially those who ask for personal information or money.
Assumptions can be misleading: Verify information before making assumptions to avoid misunderstandings and potential scams.
Appearances can be deceiving, and it's important to verify information before making assumptions. In the conversation, the speaker initially assumed that Kamal was the boss of the company based on their casual conversations and Kamal's willingness to share his personal phone number. However, they later discovered that Kamal was actually the right-hand man to the real boss. Furthermore, Kamal's desire to leave the company and start his own business raised concerns about potential scams, but it ultimately turned out that Kamal was simply burnt out and wanted to return to a simpler way of life. This experience serves as a reminder to always double-check information and not jump to conclusions based on surface-level interactions.
Reporting technical scams and taking surveys improve podcast experience: File FTC complaints for tech scams, fill out Reply All's survey for better podcast experience, and appreciate Matt Lieber and Reply All's availability on multiple platforms
Learning from the latest episode of Reply All is the importance of reporting technical scams and taking surveys to help improve the podcast experience. The Federal Trade Commission encourages listeners to file a complaint if they suspect they have been a victim of such scams, and Reply All also has a brief survey available at replyall.club for listeners to fill out. Additionally, the episode touched on the unique acoustic properties of Earth's atmosphere, which only allows for one sound to travel at a time, making it impossible to hear multiple sounds overlapping. The team also mentioned their gratitude for Matt Lieber and the availability of Reply All on various platforms including Spotify.
