Said I have a Windows virus reported by my ISP.  I laughed and told him I use Linux, not Windows.  He said will soon be going to jail.  I hung up, called the FCC which referred me to the FTC, and filed a complaint, #5439466.  Though this is marked below as Telemarketer, it is a 'fraud' or 'scam' per the FCC.

Sounded like a crank call no on talking and then hng up

They have called twice this am. Do to these idiots we may shut down land line and just use cell.

Caller from this number claimed to be from Microsoft. Told me that over the last week or so, while on the internet, my computer had been downloading malicious, damaging software. Was on to him immediately. Asked him to walk me through what he wanted me to do. He told me to sit down at my computer and follow his instructions (yea, right)! Anyhoo, told him I was not at my computer, and asked him again what he will be doing for me. He became irate. Talked over him loudly, and told him that since he has my information (that he WOULD have if he were legit), to send me an email detailing what needs to be done. Got really irate, and told me that he cannot communicate. . . hung up!

They called while I was out, left no message. UNKNOWN NAME on Caller ID. I wouldn't have answered anyway as I don't answer unknown calls. They've called before, I'm sure.

>>> But if the call-back number (as shown on the Caller-ID) is valid, then it can very easily be linked back to the telemarketers and scammers.  <<<

You harken back to the days when there was a single telephone company that provided a twisted pair of copper wires, each pair assigned a single telephone number and wired to a wall jack that you could plug a telephone cord into.  And your local branch of the national phone company kept directories of these phones so that anyone could tell who was calling.

There are now a lot of telephone companies, virtually all of which are out of, or are trying to get out of, the twisted copper wire business.  Your number probably doesn't appear in a phone directory anywhere.  And you can get a US telephone number just about anywhere in the world, with just about any area code you want, and even port it to another phone company and move somewhere else, all without leaving a public record of which phone company you are now using.

You can also call out without having an incoming number assigned to you at all.  In that case, a number is provided by the phone company you use for the Caller ID.  Think calling cards like those you can buy at the local Quickie Mart truck stop.  Or some VoIP phone companies that sell incoming and outgoing call services separately.  Or Skype Dial-Out.  The numbers provided as Caller ID for these services are legitimate and not spoofed.  They're just not yours, and are shared by thousands of other people.

So what you said may have been the case in the 1980s, but it sure isn't the case now.

Yep, scam alright. First, they call to see if you answer the phone, and then hang up.  Then they call back 1/2 hour later and do the "microsoft scam".  I played along for a while and got bored.  Asked him (Indian guy) if I could call him back, but he insisted that downloading some (scam) software will only take 2 minutes.  I hung up but know they will call me back.  I have been getting call from this number (979)865-9432 for the past few months.  

But if the call-back number (as shown on the Caller-ID) is valid, then it can very easily be linked back to the telemarketers and scammers.  

In that case, it would be much easier to identify who they are, than if the number were spoofed.

>>  defeat that subterfuge? <<

No, not necessarily.
Many of the telescammers attempt to get their marks to answer the phone immediately, and keep them on the phone while soliciting payment via green dot or other internet means.  They are out for the QUICK scam, hoping their spiel would worry the mark sufficiently.

Some scammers have relatively permanent numbers, used for long-term scams.

You bet. Do an internet search on 'telephone sounds' & you finds lots of web sites with MP3 & WAV sound recordings. Everything from old payphone (deposit 25 cents) to 'not in service', etc. Download, add them to your PBX system, when you call that's what you'll hear. Returning a call to an unknown number, without checking it out first, will bring you more problems.

You make some excellent points.  However, if the telemarketer or scammer is using a spoofed number so that they cannot be identified and held responsible for the illegal calls they are making, then wouldn't using a fake message that says the "number you have called has been disconnected" (or something similar) defeat that subterfuge?

>>> They are using a spoofed number that has always been disconnected. <<<

Not always.  It is very easy to record an official-sounding message on your voice mail that says the number has been disconnected when it was not.  And with any sort of PBX call center equipment or a many VoIP lines, it is possible to completely block out whole area codes or even all callers and play back a real disconnection recording.

What's the difference between a "real" disconnection recording and a fake one set up via voice mail?  The people running the scam never know that you called them if their line is set up with a real disconnection tone because the call is intercepted by the phone company and is never connected.  But with a fake disconnection tone set up by voice mail, the call *IS* connected, and you can get caller ID information about that call, proving it to be a live, and probably gullible, person calling back.

These dweebs, the phone rang and immediately disconnected-this puts a big smile on my face cuz that means whomever called has been blocked. No. initially blocked was 323-669-8528, immediately called again was disconnected and then called once more using the following # 979-865-9432-GUESS WHO IS GETTING BLOCKED! Bozo's!!!!

BEWARE!!!  These callers are the Indian computer scammers!!!

I got the same kind of calls and told him I don't use internet and he didn't understand. This is a total scam

These scammers don't disconnect their numbers after calling you.  They are using a spoofed number that has always been disconnected.  They chose it *because* it was a disconnected number.

As you soon as you tell them to never call again, they disconnect.  Returning the call immediately says this is a 'non-working' number.

Ditto to what RJ & PJ said ... claiming security issues with Microsoft windows ... need to access computer.  SCAM!!!

No message left.

I am also in Colorado. Same exact experience. They called at 0740.

number called, answered, nobody there, after saying Hello three times a recorded female voice said good bye

First time called from this number.  Nobody on other end, and they disconnected without saying a word.  I am in Colorado

I got a call from this number claiming that they were Windows Help and Support, calling to help me with a security problem that had accessed my computer.

They are apparently running a scam.

Many, many calls from this number.  Says my computer is sending error messages.  Funny thing is the computer is not running.  Thanked him and told him I was in law enforcement, do not call again.  I guess they don't speak any English as they continue to call.   Boring!

Got two calls from this number today, half an hour apart. I did not answer and no message was left.

This number has called a number of times and the heavily accented man sounds to be of Indian or Pakistani backgroun, claiming that I am using Microsoft Windows and they are getting notifications that there are security threats to my PC and they need me to follow some instructions or they would shut down my computer. I was called an illiterate individual for challenging him with questions. The number 979-865-9432 is a SouthWestern Bell Landline phone number that is associated with the apartment complex called Palisades at Bellville in Bellville, TX. From phone records, the people associated with this phone line are Raine Roberts, Lorraine Roberts, Mary C Halliburton, Melissa Halliburton, and Jennifer M Halliburton. This was a social engineering call to gain access to personal computers and vital information.

Had to do with (they claim) my computer being hacked -said if I used the internet on windows I would get a virus . They told me if I didn't follow instructions they would shut down my computer.

Left a message regarding some type of medical program eligibility with an offer to give 1000. In grocery coupons if you sign up.  Never left a name

do not answer unknown #'s. No message left. CID says Raine Roberts? search says Texas? Caution...