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melbury
melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
in Techie Stuff
I have just been really frightened. I was on line looking at weather forecast sites and suddenly I get a warning that my PC is under threat, I am being attacked by Trojans and Worms and my personal data at risk. It was flashing up that there hundreds of these bugs in lots of my various files. It kept telling me to install something in order to save my PC, I nearly clicked on install, but then thought better of it. Trouble was I couldn't get rid of the thing off the screen, it just would not close. Eventually I just pulled the plug out to switch the computer off!

I then ran a full virus scan, but it hasn't picked up any viruses.

Please has this happened to anyone else? Is it just a scam to make you download something harmful? Will my computer be OK now I have run a virus scan? Is it safe for me to be online now?

I am not at all techie and just don't understand these things.

Many thanks.
Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

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Comments

  • Donnie
    Donnie Posts: 9,862 Forumite
    Yes, it's just a scam.

    Download, install and update MalwareBytes' AntiMalware and run a Full Scan.

    Remove Selected if prompted at the end of the scan.
  • Money_Grabber13579
    Money_Grabber13579 Posts: 4,455 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Newshound! Name Dropper
    Sometimes these things install anyway, even if you close them, so it's best to run the scan given in the post above. make sure it's updated before you use it.
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Thanks for your replies, but wouldn't my McAfee anti virus have picked up anything that shouldn't be there?

    Also, I have the Windows firewall switched on and I think there is a McAfee one as well included in their security package. Should I switch the windows one off?
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • Donnie
    Donnie Posts: 9,862 Forumite
    Do as you are told. :)
  • Money_Grabber13579
    Money_Grabber13579 Posts: 4,455 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Newshound! Name Dropper
    I don't think the McAfee one would allow to run along side the Windows one. And security packages don't always pick up everything! Malwarebytes usually does though although it doesn't offer real time protection.
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • Money_Grabber13579
    Money_Grabber13579 Posts: 4,455 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Newshound! Name Dropper
    donnie wrote: »
    do as you are told. :)

    lol :T:T:T:T:T
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • Jaffa.
    Jaffa. Posts: 1,193 Forumite
    They don't just install themselves, they can get up to the point in IE where you have the option to press run/dont run but they really need user interaction.

    Just clear your cookies and you'll be fine :) You just went onto a fake website to scare you, providing you didnt click on any run boxes you don;t need to run MalwareBytes
  • Money_Grabber13579
    Money_Grabber13579 Posts: 4,455 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Newshound! Name Dropper
    Jaffa. wrote: »
    They don't just install themselves, they can get up to the point in IE where you have the option to press run/dont run but they really need user interaction.

    Just clear your cookies and you'll be fine :) You just went onto a fake website, providing you didnt click on any run boxes you don;t need to run MalwareBytes

    Can at times! I had one telling me I needed to install bestseller antivirus. I pressed X, but it still installed and hashed up all my settings. Only superantispyware removed it. Plus a load of other things. The X button can be set to do other things than what you intend.
    Northern Ireland club member No 382 :j
  • melbury
    melbury Posts: 13,251 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Jaffa. wrote: »
    They don't just install themselves, they can get up to the point in IE where you have the option to press run/dont run but they really need user interaction.

    Just clear your cookies and you'll be fine :) You just went onto a fake website to scare you, providing you didnt click on any run boxes you don;t need to run MalwareBytes


    This shows how dumb I am with computers - how do I clear cookies?
    Stopped smoking 27/12/2007, but could start again at any time :eek:

  • Jaffa.
    Jaffa. Posts: 1,193 Forumite
    In Internet Explorer it's tools > internet options > (under the browsing history sub title) click delete > delete cookies
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