Spyware is purely evil. Barney’s dealing with it, and now I’ve gotten a bit of it.
Actually, not me personally, but a couple of our homes. One of our homeowners that came onto our program brought an old computer into the house. It was loaded with Spyware and Virii. A quick scan and clean couldn’t get rid of it, but since he said he didn’t need anything on there to go ahead and erase it. So a quick reinstall of Windows, and we’re good to go.
However, one of our homeowners had a computer that made a mess out of things. The owner of the home faxed us his Qwest bill. It has an add-on charge for $39.90 for a 900-number call. He said that he knows the home was rented during that timeframe, and insisted that we charge the guests (this all happened a week ago before I got involved). Our front desk staff charged the renter’s card and left a message on his machine telling him why. Renter called back, saying he had nothing to do with calling any 900 numbers. Front desk said that’s fine, removed the charge, we’ll investigate.
So then I get involved. After looking at the bill and Googling the company and the 900 number, it looks like these folks have tried this crap before. Apparently, the computer at the house (which I didn’t know existed as I hadn’t been to the house in a long time) had a Spyware Dialer installed on it, and it dialed out when the guests turned on the computer (it was hidden so the guests had no idea). So I went out to the house, disconnected the phone line from the computer there, turned it on, and sure enough the thing popped up saying it couldn’t get a dial tone. I didn’t have time the gut what was undoubtedly a horribly infected system, so I just unplugged it and locked it in the homeowner’s storage closet.
But we still had the problem with the phone bill and the charge. So I called the 800# for billing for that 900# on behalf of that homeowner, acting like the homeowner. First off, I played dumb — even though I already knew what had called the 900# and why. I asked the lady on the other end where this call came from. The Intregretel company obviously just provides third-party billing for this company, so she was reading from a script. I told her that there was no way I’d make a phone call in the middle of the night to some 900 number. Where did this call come from? She went on to tell me that it wasn’t a voice call but a data call.
“So there’s a computer that is dialing some 900 number in the middle of the night without my permission?” I ask.
“The software installed that’s dialing out is value-added software used in some games and software [insert a crapload of marketing bulls**t] and provides a better service to the users of that software.”
“So it’s spyware?” Obviously having heard this question before, she goes into another monologue about how it’s not spyware, but a value-added, blah, blah, blah.
“How is this not spyware?” I ask again. “Some piece of software gets installed, without my permission, and dials a toll number at $4/minute, without my permission, and racks up toll charges on my phone bill. How is this not spyware?
Then she goes on with the same scripted response from above. Wash, rinse, repeat.
“I want this charge removed from my phone bill. Now.” I demand. “My law office will have a field day with this.” (I wasn’t lying on this one as, already having talked to the homeowner, who was a lawyer himself, he was ready to smack these bastards to pieces.)
“Sir, I can offer you a 50% reduction in your payment of this.”
“I want 100% reduction, and an apology.”
“So you’re rejecting the 50% reduction?”
“Quit reading your scripts and give me my money back!”
“So you’re rejecting the 50% reduction?”
“Yes I am, because I want 100%.”
“OK sir, we will remove this charge from your bill, block your number from being billed in the future, and will credit back your bill. Is there anything else we can do for you?”
“Quit supporting companies that do this kind of crap?”
“Have a nice day, sir.”
Really, I almost felt sorry for the lady on the other end. I was getting fairly aggressive with her for a bit there, and she obviously was used to people who just quietly complain to have it removed. She’s probably getting paid squat, but works for a company that’s probably rolling in money. Sad, really.
Anyhow, if you ever see a random 900 number show up on your phone bill, clean the Spyware off your computer, and then call their billing number and yell at them. They need it.
Comments
But on the flip side, my boss and the cover story of PC World mag both turned me on to HijackThis, and the great folks at TomCoyote.org forums who volunteer to help surgically remove this crap.
Now why SIX programs couldn’t get rid of it and I had to go through days of this, well, I try not to dwell on. Life’s too short, but I did donate 20 bucks to TomCoyote for the untold grief they spared me in clearing the crud out. So while insidious spyware is depressing, there are folks out there who restore some of your faith in humanity;-)
The last round of Spyware that I dealt with was one of those home page hijackers, resetting the home page of IE to some bogus search page. 3 days, and plenty of digging around with Hijack This, Spyware Blaster, and online support groups got me through it 😉
I *hate* this stuff.
PS – the computer was a friend’s.
HAHA….sure it was, Pat, sure it was 😉
Jake,
Don’t feel sorry at all about putting that rep through hell. Her fault for working at a place like that.
this is called modem hijacking and it happened to my good friend a few months ago. random 900# on her bill, no calls were actually made, telephone company wouldn’t credit the amount on her bill, can’t find the company who put this “spyware” on her computer to begin with, now leaving the modem unplugged when they are not using the phone, etc. very scary stuff with little recourse.
i’ve dealt with some nasty, time-consuming spyware removal before, and i’m afraid stuff like this is only on the rise. how sad.
7/25/05- I have been billed two months in a row for a 900 number thru the computer. Since my son is really the sole user, I asked him if he had downloaded anything that cost. He said no. I called Integretel and they could NOT tell me what was used. They were very happy to reduce the charge by 50%.
Now the next month comes up and it was 7 times the first amount. When I looked at the bill, the time charged was time we were not even home. I put a block on the 900 number and it is dispute right now. I refuse to pay the bill. I also contacted the Attorney General.
I was a victim of Integretel also. Added a 40 dollar 900 bill onto my regular phone bill. Party at Integretel told me a dialer had been planted in my computer and I still would have to pay $40. I said no way and she offered to cut it in half I said ok but then called QWEST and told them to pay nothing. Integretel settled a 1.6 million dollar case with FCC in Nov. of 2002 and is back doing the same thing again.
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