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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
    Posts
    2,810

    Default Could it get worse, NBN and Optus have gone international

    Yes folks, it's true. NBN figures it has done as much as possible to bring communications in Australia into the 20th century and has branched out overseas, apparently taking Optus with them. I have proof of this in the transcript below.

    Landline rings 12.15pm today, Private Caller, normally wouldn't qualify for an answer but I have been unwell and have telehealth calls coming in daily so are basically compelled to answer all calls, so answer this one.

    Caller: Silence 3 seconds. 'This is the NBN calling. We have observed abnormal activity on your phone and internet account, we will be disconnecting these services unless you can rectify the problem. Press 1 if you wish to speak to someone about the problem'. (Asian accent recorded message).

    Me (a little bored and ready to hassle a scammer) presses 1.

    Pass to a different voice Admin type person: 'Thank you for waiting to discuss your problem, we will connect you to a call taker.' (Aussie male style voice.) Passes to a third voice.

    Third person: 'Hello Madam, this is the NBN. We have observed abnormal activity on your NBN connection and will have to disconnect your service unless we can solve this problem'. (Indian male voice, teenage). Phone has always been in wife's name, I grew up 30 miles from the nearest phone and never really developed a taste for them, plus I am more a solitary type.

    Me: 'Sorry there must be some mistake, we aren't with NBN, we're with Optus'. - I know I am on testosterone reducing meds while dealing with cancer but I still definitely sound and look male. No, we're also not with Optus but a little disinformation goes a long way.

    Third person: 'Madam, I know you are with Optus, but we are NBN, we supply all the communication system for (wait for it)



    Canada, and Optus uses our system
    '. Hasn't picked up that Madam has a very obviously male voice.

    Me: 'Sorry, I am in Australia, not Canada'. Then launch into a tirade about scammers and tell him to get a decent job, but he hangs up by the third word of the tirade, finally convinced that I am not madam, that he has made a very obvious mistake, and that there is no chance to suck me in.

    So there folks, proof positive that NBN and Optus are now operating overseas, direct from the NBN service centre.

    Oh, and the same ID10T's called back at 1.30pm to try and convince me again. Shame Telstra/Telecom ever moved call centres into the third world and gave it access to customer records.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Adl
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    Default

    That has nothing to do with NBN, Optus or any other Australian company; these are automated scammer calls simply trying any possible combination of numbers. My wife got a few of them and the system claimed to be the ATO.
    The real issue are completely retarded privacy laws that allow the callers number to be suppressed.

    I never pick up the phone if there is no number on my display and if there is an unknown number I do a search on the internet before picking up (or even calling back). Unfortunately that's not a solution for everyone, e.g. if one runs a business.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    4,470

    Default

    As said above just a scam, set your answering machine, scammers worst enemy!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Alexandra Vic
    Age
    69
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    2,810

    Default

    I suspect that people are not noticing the sarcasm in the original post, idiot on the other end couldn't tell I am a guy and kept addressing me as madam, then tells me that they (NBN) provide all of the communications systems for Canada and that Optus uses their Canadian system.

    I was 90% sure it was a scam before I answered, 100% before the recorded message, stuck inside because of heat so decided to play along and waste some of their time, only to see our Australia transformed to Canada. Can't just dump everything to an answering machine at the moment, as I said I am getting daily unscheduled telehealth calls from a mix of 5 separate hospitals,clinics, doctors while in recovery from treatment. Miss their calls or leave them to answering machine and you are on your own till they have time to ring you back, you can call them within a minute of them leaving a message and they will be on another call to another patient.
    I used to be an engineer, I'm not an engineer any more, but on the really good days I can remember when I was.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Redlands area, Brisbane
    Posts
    1,489

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by malb View Post
    I suspect that people are not noticing the sarcasm in the original post, idiot on the other end couldn't tell I am a guy and kept addressing me as madam, then tells me that they (NBN) provide all of the communications systems for Canada and that Optus uses their Canadian system.

    I was 90% sure it was a scam before I answered, 100% before the recorded message, stuck inside because of heat so decided to play along and waste some of their time, only to see our Australia transformed to Canada. Can't just dump everything to an answering machine at the moment, as I said I am getting daily unscheduled telehealth calls from a mix of 5 separate hospitals,clinics, doctors while in recovery from treatment. Miss their calls or leave them to answering machine and you are on your own till they have time to ring you back, you can call them within a minute of them leaving a message and they will be on another call to another patient.
    <AussieCountryDrawl>That'd be Canadia, mate</>

    I don't have a landline any more. I never gave out the number and it was an unlisted; and still got the calls. In fact those were the only calls.

    I'm rather good with making funny voices. Some of my favourites were:

    Spoken in a whispering voice: It's done. But there's blood everywhere.

    Spoken in best cop voice: This is a secure number. How did you get this number?

    Spoken in pseudo-voice disguise: Did you leave the money where you were told? Remember, we still have your children.

    When I get the "Microsoft Support" calls: Oh awesome. I work for Microsoft too. Which campus are you located in? [True, but in the past tense]

    At my mother-in-law's house earlier this year: She can't come to the phone right now on account of being dead... [Also true in this case. The person on the end of the phone at least had the grace to be mortified and apologised.]

    I also love to play the incredibly stupid user: Caller: What do you see on your screen? Me: Nothing... [I can keep this game going for many minutes before telling them that they've been played. One of them even threatened to invoice me. My reply was: I dare you!]

    I'm kinda missing my landline now ...

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Townsville. Tropical Nth Qld.
    Posts
    1,243

    Default

    I ended up turning the volume of the ring tone to zero on the landline and only use my mobile phone now. But before I did that I used to get calls at about 1.30 pm each day.
    Caller in female subcontinental voice, Hello we believe that someone on this phone number has recently been involved in a car accident?
    Me, aww, go away you idiot, hang up.
    Next day, same time, Caller in female subcontinental voice, Hello we believe that someone on this phone number has recently been involved in a car accident?
    Me, Oh, yes that was me, I died in the car crash so I guess you are offering me a free funeral, she hangs up?
    Next day, same time, Caller in female subcontinental voice, Hello we believe that someone on this phone number has recently been involved in a car accident?
    Me, ok, can I ask you a quick question?
    Caller, yes you can.
    Me, well this is a bit personal, but have you ever had a sexual holiday?
    Caller, you are disgusting.
    Me, no hang on this is a genuine question, have you ever?
    Caller, no I haven't.
    Me, well here is your opportunity, why don't you scumbag scammers F&#k off.
    Caller hangs up, no more calls.
    But I did hear on the radio the other day that all the telcos had come up with a plan to stop the scam calls.
    Why we have had a series of totally inept Federal Government's in this country that have done nothing previously and the current one has done nothing about the problem either buggers belief.
    Rant over,
    Rgds,
    Crocy.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2019
    Location
    NSW
    Age
    37
    Posts
    1,126

    Default

    there was a youtube video (of a pod cast i think) of these guys who started off by stirring one of those scammers.

    by the end they get out of the guy that the scammers actually try to hire younger more desperate people under the guise of a legitimate job, eventually they catch on but just continue doing it because they need the money. the scammer eventually admits that since the start of the calls he has since quit, and actually invites the two guys out to india to come have a look how it all works.

    i'd have to try and find the videos but it was an interesting listen.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Ringwood, VIC
    Posts
    575

    Default

    My current go-to approach is to play some music and add a voice over every 10 seconds, 'your call is important to us, please hold the line'.

    My next will be 'thank you for calling, as per your support agreement your rate is $500 per hour or part thereof, your billable time starts now.'
    I figure the longer they are talking to me the less they are able to scam someone else..

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Jarrahdale WA
    Posts
    370

    Default

    This guy on Youtube has the whole thing sussed...
    Microsoft scammer tells Lenny to shut up! - YouTube

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