Recently I have found messages on my telephone answering machine purporting to be a notification that my subscription to an (unnamed) computer security service is going to be renewed and my bank account or "plastic" card will be charged the amount of $395. "Press 1 if you wish to cancel the subscription."
This afternoon I was expecting an important call so I answered when the phone rang, and it was another of those calls. So, out of curiosity, I pressed 1 to see what would happen. I was switched over to a live operator, who was obviously (based on the amount and volume of background chatter) working in a large phone bank, and who had a very heavy foreign accent -- I would guess Indian or Pakistani, but this one was a little hard to place. I confirmed that I wanted to cancel, so she said I need to be sitting at my computer and switch it on so she can show me how to cancel. I said, "Huh? What?" and she repeated it:
"I need you to be sitting at your computer and switch it on so I can show you how to cancel your subscription, okay?"
To which I replied, "No, not okay. You want my computer on so you can hack into it."
And she said, "Okay" and hung up.
I wish I felt more knowledgeable so I could have played her along a bit longer, but I didn't want to take the chance.
