Quoroom Forum (15 Dec 2008)

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We have many talented writers here and we all enjoy getting passionate about some of our pet peeves (eg, Derryn Hinch, reality TV shows, Australians behaving badly, McDonald's food ... anything). Just remember: "what ye shall sow, so shall ye reap" - in other words, be prepared to take lots of criticism! What better title could one give this than ... the Soapbox?

"Telstra is going to disconnect your internet for the next 15 days ..."

sozzled
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7 years 6 months ago #2007 by sozzled

"Telstra is going to disconnect your internet for the next 15 days ..." was created by sozzled

I don't know too many people who haven't received these telephone calls that come out-of-the blue and start by a heavily-accented person on the other end introducing themselves as "I'm from the Telstra technical department and we've decided to disconnect your internet for the next x days...". The problem with these phone calls is that they prey on the innocent, the naïve, the technically clueless and the gullible in our society who are ready to believe that they're at risk. In particular, because we read each day about the latest virus that jeopardises businesses and institutions around the country and around the world, because of the recent surge in cyber-terrorism, ransomware and other threats to our liberties, we're worried that we might be unknowing participants and how we should prepare ourselves in case these threats appear on our own doorsteps.

If you think I'm wrong then say "I think you're wrong". If you say, "You're wrong", how do you know?

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sozzled
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6 years 7 months ago - 6 years 7 months ago #2009 by sozzled

Replied by sozzled on topic "Telstra is going to disconnect your internet for the next 15 days ..."

As a kind of footnote to this article, I just had another one of those "This is the 'technical department of Telstra'" calls and, (because I didn't have anything better to do) I strung them along for about 5 minutes going through all kinds of rubbish (like looking at the Event Viewer which, of course, doesn't tell anyone anything) and the guy on the other end was getting angry/excited saying "Yes, these are the problems we are talking about and we can either fix them for you or we will have to terminate your internet."

OK, I thought, I'll humour them. I said, "Please terminate my internet." I don't think that's what the guy was expecting me to say. He said, "Are you saying that you don't want the internet anymore?" "Yes," I replied, "please terminate my internet now." Anyway, this to-and-fro went on for another 30 seconds, by which time I was practically begging "Telstra" to terminate my internet ... and the guy just hung up.

I wouldn't recommend this approach to everyone but, by the same token, there's not diddly-squat that these con-artists can do in terms of hurting you if you don't (a) give them any personal information, (b) give them access to your computer, or (c) sound like you're in the least bit worried by their threats. Game over. *heh-heh-heh*

If you think I'm wrong then say "I think you're wrong". If you say, "You're wrong", how do you know?

Last edit: 6 years 7 months ago by sozzled.

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