I read this and I am somewhat skeptical of its authenticity. Just seems too coincidental.
I'm sending this email to the author: Hi Nate Your article "I am calling you from Windows": A tech support scammer dials Ars Technica"
in Ars Technica was reposted on hubski (www.hubski.com). Someone wrote that they thought the article was fake. I thought it was great. Could you post a response here: http://www.hubski.com/pub?id=42643 How could he not respond? His picture is here: http://arstechnica.com/author/nate-anderson/
I hear ya, but still stuff like this does happen. He was likely hyper-aware enough to pick up that this was an "opportunity". Most people would have just hung up and thought nothing of it. Have you ever gotten a new car and then began to notice how many of the same model were on the road? Or started dating someone with a particular car? You'll start to see the same make and color everywhere. My point is, when you are exposed to something you become more aware of its existence. Couldn't this account for the "coincidental" nature of this?
The author of the article wrote me a personal email today, saying this: Sorry, I have limited time and am not real interested in spending it convincing random people on the Internet that I am not a liar. :) There are hundreds of videos of this stuff happening on YouTube; it's quite obviously real. Nate Anderson
Deputy Editor, Ars Technica He included his email address and phone number which I will not copy here.
GO NATE!
At least he took the time to write you back, maybe he'll come 'round hubski anyhow.