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The International Routing System scam
I've just had a call from a charming Indian gentlemen telling me he was from the International Routing System and that my computer was generating a lot of traffic which was disrupting the "International Routing Systems".
Apparently he had my phone number because my IP address was creating all this traffic and so he wanted to show me how to cleanup my machine. I thought it could be fun to find out how he was going to try to scam me, so let him continue...
- Me: "So what's my IP address?"
- IG: "I don't have that in front of me at the moment"
- Me: "riigggt... so what would you like me to do to stop all this traffic blocking up the International Routings Systems?"
- IG: "Please press the flag key and R on your keyboard"
- Me: "OK"
- IG: "type the letters 'i', 'n', 'f' - it stands for 'infection'"
- Me: "OK, I've done that"
- IG: "Now click OK"
- Me: "Uh huh"
- IG: "What do you see?"
- Me: "A list of all the drivers installed on my computer"
- IG: "You're wasting my time and your time, now bugger off"... beeeeeeeeeeeep
Unfortunately caller ID only showed he was calling from an "International" number so I couldn't call him back to find out more about his wonderful International Routing System or what other things he was going to get me to do to my computer.
Reader Comments
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August 18, 2010
,DH says:He or his cousin is still going strong as of August 16. He told me he was from Microsoft, and they had been advised of my computer problem by international routing systems, and I should go to a certain website. I don't know what good stuff awaited me at that website because I said my goodbyes at that point. Doug, Dallas, TX
August 30, 2010
,michael warner says:Australia - just got very similar from www.techsonline.com
August 30, 2010
,Graham L says:I've just had a similar call from a Stephen Adamson of International Routing Systems, who had a distinctly Indian sound about him. He was apparently responding to Error reports that I had made to Microsoft, and he was to assist me in dealing with the problems on my PC. By coincidence(?) I had recently sent a couple of Error reports to Microsoft, but I was still wary of this call. He implied that IRS acted for Microsoft in dealing with problems on people's computers. Like your experience, he asked me to press the flag and R keys to bring up the Run box, and then to type in "vwr". He didn't explain what that stood for. At this point I decided to check out IRS, and so I asked him to call me back in half-an-hour. He agreed to do so and I rang off. I subsequently found your blog on this scam, for which I thank you. I'm still waiting for Stephen to call me back.
August 31, 2010
,J. Davis says:The criminal is still out there allegedly representing Microsoft Systems. I just now got the warning call, I asked him phone number he was calling from. He gave me 510-722-6000. I told the criminal I'd call him back, but he said that wouldn't be necessary, just go to www.irssupport.net and follow the instructions. I told the criminal I'd check it out. Google Search brought me here. Guess my hunch was right this time, huh??? Incidentally, while on the phone with him I heard a lot of yelling and laughter in background, not like your usual Call Center or Boiler Room type noise.
September 3, 2010
,fran says:well its the same for me some idina dude called n said he wus from the irs n to click live suport so he culd take over n my stupid sister did n then he took over for a lil wile n my sis said nevermind call n a hour n did n we found out it wus a scam thanks to u but wer still worrid about the live support thing cuz she did click on it darn sister
September 6, 2010
,Dave says:I'm from Australia, and I have had two calls like this (both Indian callers, one female, the other male). They both claim to be calling to help with support for Microsoft Windows products (Windows 7 specifically), and the second caller (male) seem to have a fair bit of information about me, name, address, email, phone number, date of birth, etc.. and he claimed that it was all from the International Routing System whenever I click on the Send Error button in Windows. I went along with this guy to lead him on to see where this call would end up... (bearing in mind I am a qualified computer technician, I use an Apple Mac *dur*, and I know for a fact that NO personal info is passed on to Microsoft when an error is sent) It ended up me asking him for his phone number, and proof that I am who he claims I am, and he hung up on me!!! Rather scary that I merely exist at all on the net, yet criminals have a lot of my personal information and could potentially gain access to much unauthorised services and credit claiming to be me!!!
September 6, 2010
,tg says:some dude just called me and i could hear other in the back ground. I thought he said he was from microsoft and that my computer had been sending microsoft alerts about a virus.
I told him my McAffe said I was protected, him"yes, it will because McAffee has been hacked into and it is only scanning about 20%"
I think that then he said something about being from McAffee, when I said I thought you said Microsoft he said yes and said some hubbub, I don't know. Told him I would talk to my comp friend and he gave me same number that someone posted. Told my I had to call back because there was a "deadly virus" that no one on this earth could fix. I said I am just skeptical, Of course he understood :) how do they get away with this?
September 7, 2010
,SJ says:I think they have been calling here for days. Same 'Out of Area' listing appearing on caller ID but I thought it was a solicitor I needed to get rid of. Turns out it is the same scam everyone else has described. I am very concerned about personal information being compromised since they had my name and phone number (which is not available to the public and not listed under my name).