OT Telemarketers

[Jack Simth]

Originally posted by Instar:
Not to change directions but dang, this WinShow browser hijack is still around *after* repeated removals (manually unregistering its files and deleteing them, to using Ad Aware 6).
I don't know how it keeps coming back... I'm really pissed at 8ad.com and 00hq.com
People like that make me sick... especially since I *never* agreed to use their software. I wonder if my startup items were modified to get the latest crapware from them.

I think my machine once had something similar - it turns out it was an HTML virus (or something - I just got rid of it, I didn't look at it). Virus scanners didn't catch it. It seems whenever you open certain browsers, it runs html files in certain locations - check your root directory (plural if you use more than one,) your Windows (I'm assuming it's Windows) directory, Program files, and the directory your browser runs in. The thing buried itself on my computer, changed the permissions on for Internet Options so I couldn't mess with them directly, and set my homepage to some website or another. Every time I opened my browser, it ran (either from the page it set my homepage to or through the stored Version) and put everything back the way the virus wanted it. I fixed the permissions through Control Panel, deleted the HTML by hand, and set my homepage back from a bookmark I keep for that purpose. That bug hasn't been back since. However, yours might be something trickyer. What worked for me might not work for you.

Also, you may want to check your startup menu - most of the stuff in there is usually pretty worthless, so go ahead and get rid of it by renaming the directory (usually C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp) to something else - ...\Programs\DisabledStartup, perhaps - to allow revcovery of anything you actually want to start up on startup (for example, I've got a remote control utility for the TV tuner installed into my machine; that, I do want).

[narf poit chez BOOM]

my stomach now feels somewhat better, but you don't want to hear of my recent activity.

[dogscoff]

My favourite trick with telemarketers is to ask if they mind being put on hold. Then I put the phone next to my stereo and play loads of highly offensive punk music. (Snuff's 'arsehole' is a particular favourite)

You can check back 5 minutes later and they'll often still be there, but by 10 minutes they've usually hung up.

[Suicide Junkie]

Originally posted by narf poit chez BOOM:
i just got computer telemarketeered. it's evil. telemarketeers aren't nessasarily, but spammed by a computer...totally impersonal and one-sided.

Did you try dialing zero? That might bump you through their phone system to the operator...

[Wardad]

Spam Song link.

http://www.mailmsg.com/SPAM_python.htm

Hear it by clickin Spam Song at bottom of the page.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Did you try dialing zero? That might bump you through their phone system to the operator...

thanks.

[Azselendor]

Have some real fun with them, pretend to be a phone-sex operator.