In reply to a post by zhugeliang:

When I mentioned that I had died the day before

I like that, noted for future reference

In reply to a post by JonasTone:

Actually calling your telephone provider and getting the number for these people and reporting to the police may be a good idea, as they can get the Regulatory body for the industry aware of the situation and may be able to get something sorted

Wouldn't that be difficult though? Is there a worldwide ofcom or telecom register list?

I would personally say - "if" I got a phone call - oh I have just got your IP address and I am going to hack into you and wipe your data via my secure Linux server.... I wonder if that would be a nice, polite way of saying an expletive?

In reply to a post by billford:

In reply to a post by bathsheba666:

My favourite is to keep agreeing with them, and when they think you are coming along, they will direct your attention to the keyboard, and the Windows function key sitting in between Ctrl and Alt at bottom left of keyboard.

I sometimes play along like that, and can usually string it out for a few more minutes with confusion about which key they are referring to.

At which point I ask innocently "Does it matter that I'm using a Mac?"

"Click" from the other end

same. just play along and then ask them for their "bank account details and sort code so you can wire dem da monies."

I wouldn't count on it. The previous owner of my number has been dead ten years, and some companies refuse to accept that. One wonders how they can negotiate an alternative state.