It's a thing where you get a call saying "This is Mumblety Crazypants from Computer Division/IT/whatevs, we've had a mix-up with your order, can you tell us what your computer model is and what toner it takes? We'll get that right out to you." The hope is that they can get you to verbally acknowledge the "order," send you a toner cartridge at a grossly inflated prices, and by the time it arrives you won't realize that you never ordered toner and will pay for it. It works well on companies where each office orders and pays for its own supplies, especially if you get somebody who doesn't actually order things to answer the phone. Not so good for organizations with a central supply depot, like ours.
It's similar to the people who call your house and say, "We're the people who handle your magazine subscriptions." "Really? Who are you?" "The people who handle your magazine subscriptions." "Which subscriptions would those be?" "Click."
If I got a call from someone who was actually named Mumblety Crazypants, working for Computer Division/IT/whatevs, Inc., I would probably succumb to the sheer awesomeness of the names and just go along with whatever kind of scam they wanted to run.
<NPR sponsor guy voice>"Computer Divison/IT/whatevs. A global leader in providing computer stuff since sometime. NASDAQ symbol 'WUT'. Computer Division/IT/whatevs: 'We have your toner ready.'"</NPR sponsor guy voice>
I loved reporting them to the Secret Service, until I figured that if they were clever enough to dupe somebody stupid and greedy enough to cough up confidential information, let 'em have it.
I used to LOVE those calls! I tried to keep the person on the line as long as I could. I'd tell them to hold while I went to check our model numbers and then I come back with bogus letter/number combos(that usually spell fun things).
One guy I talked to let me put him on hold like, 10 times because I played dumb, and told him I was really interested and that we really needed toner. I kept telling him I didn't know what numbers to look at and that there were all sorts of things written on our printers and copier. He finally hung up when I told him the model number on our copy machine was FUX_0FF_8008
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 07:59 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:04 pm (UTC)It's similar to the people who call your house and say, "We're the people who handle your magazine subscriptions." "Really? Who are you?" "The people who handle your magazine subscriptions." "Which subscriptions would those be?" "Click."
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:26 pm (UTC)<NPR sponsor guy voice>"Computer Divison/IT/whatevs. A global leader in providing computer stuff since sometime. NASDAQ symbol 'WUT'. Computer Division/IT/whatevs: 'We have your toner ready.'"</NPR sponsor guy voice>
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:35 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:33 pm (UTC)NM. Of course people fall for this.
Good CHRIST I need a good rolleyes icon.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:36 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 08:47 pm (UTC)Also, there's this. Which is glorious.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-01 02:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:06 pm (UTC)(It's been a while since I had someone try that scam on me.)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:14 pm (UTC)One guy I talked to let me put him on hold like, 10 times because I played dumb, and told him I was really interested and that we really needed toner. I kept telling him I didn't know what numbers to look at and that there were all sorts of things written on our printers and copier. He finally hung up when I told him the model number on our copy machine was FUX_0FF_8008
Sometimes I miss answering phones.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:37 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:41 pm (UTC)Also, I can't stop imagining the Starburst ad for it.
*claws out eyes*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-30 09:55 pm (UTC)OMG - I may have to have the person who made the icon for me modify it to say: 'Taste the Rainbow'... LMAO!!
I love your icon - that's the best eyetwitch! I have no more fun icons, so you're stuck with Boromir being porny.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-05-01 01:13 am (UTC)