[george kujanski]

I was using Firefox on my computer looking at Facebook and suddenly my screen displayed some warning message that I have a virus and should call a numbershown on the screen it states"do not shut off the computer" etc. and it has to be removed otherwise it will lock your computer.

I can move the mouse but it has no other effect.

I checked the number from my other machine and the Google hits indicate a scam.

Now initially the screen is pretty disturbing, not being able to control the display at all, but I decided to invoke the Task manager, which worked, and killed several processes of Firefox and got my normal screen back.

This is my corporate machine and they run Crowdstrike, which I figured would prevent a virus such as the one claimed.

These scammers are getting pretty sophisticated.

George

[Half-Inch Stud]

Thanks for the heads up.

I hope you've had time to settle down, reboot, shower, laundry, and such.

[tstroud]

Yeah. Those aren’t actually a virus but just a malicious website. They remove the “x” to close the window and make it really annoying. Unfortunately it works a lot of the time. People call the number, grant access to their computer and eventually access to their credit card.
Good on you for not falling for the scam.

[KS circutguy]

avoid facebag it's full of junk now.
Use Brave instead as well.
https://brave.com/

[jhein]

I had the same thing a week ago. I figured it was probably a scam. I decided that if they don't want me to shut down my computer that's probably what I should do. So I shut it down and restarted and everything is fine.

[KS circutguy]

Had a friend that said the same thing.
It came back a few days later.
Had to do a reinstall of Windows 10.
If it installed malware that's the way to fix it.

[GtoFM]

Yep, BTDT, makes the sphincter pucker a little bit! My 'Geek Squad' son says "DO NOT CALL, delete and move on".

[tooski]

Originally Posted by jhein

I had the same thing a week ago. I figured it was probably a scam. I decided that if they don't want me to shut down my computer that's probably what I should do. So I shut it down and restarted and everything is fine.

Yup, had that recently and a couple of times in the past. Shut down computer for a few minutes and restarted fine.

[Carl S]

My friend would have been taken for $50,000 with a scam like this had it not been for an alert bank teller who refused to let him do the transaction/transfer because she suspected a scam. Long story but I assure you it's 100% true.

Ignore those "infected with a virus" or whatever messages.

[kingbuzzo]

Happens all the time and a sad fact of the internets.

Ensure your router is updated, you have a modern bowser and your system is patched to date. Same goes for yer pone.

It also helps if you do not have admin privilege's on yer puter as the malware will have the same access to your system as you in if you click on a phishing link etc. I setup a second account in windows with "standard" privileges for my day to day tasks.

It is getting so bad a deepfake voice mimmicked my daughters voice and called her gammy asking for help...very realistic but she was too wise to get scammed

Be careful out there kids...

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

It was a popular scheme about 20 years ago , in various forms.
Even as an FBI or FCC penalty warning.

Have not heard of it making a recent comeback.
But it used to create quite a stir.

[george kujanski]

A question....nowadays is usoft Defender enuf for virus protection or should you get another anti- virus?

[tooski]

I got hit with an FBI virus many years ago. Just said I was doing something illegal and they are coming to arrest me. I had to take that desktop in to a computer shop as I could not get rid of it. Would not even allow safe mode to boot up.

[jhein]

Originally Posted by george kujanski

A question....nowadays is usoft Defender enuf for virus protection or should you get another anti- virus?

That's a good question. I don't know what the best way to pick internet security software is so I'm eager to hear what people have to say. I've used many things over the years. Right now, I'm using Bitdefender. Don't know if it's any good, but I haven't had any problems. I updated the software and did a scan right after that last event and it said I was all clear. But I think that attempt was a fairly low level and unsophisticated.

I think a lot of it is common sense and a high level of awareness and skepticism. Don't open any files or click any links that you are not absolutely sure of. Any unsolicited online contact should be highly suspect. Anything that expresses a sense of urgency, asks for any personal information, action, makes threats or certainly asks for money is an attack until proven otherwise. Anything that claims to be from the government, any official entity, agency or business is also highly suspect.

For example, I have Lifelock. Yeah, I know many people say it's not worth it. But, apart from that, when they contact me by email, I don't use the link in the email. I close the email and go directly to the website myself and login just in case the email is a scam to get my login info.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

A really good pop-up blocker is probably the best thing for these deals.
I have not seen one pop up in a Long Time.

Buzzo's comment about Window users not using the Main/Administrator account on your computer log-in is also very very wise when running and surfing on the internet.
Unless you are doing something very official , but can't think of anything internet related that would require that level of access.

[kingbuzzo]

Defender has come a long way and is highly rated however anti-virus isn't a silver bullet. BitDefender is also very good.

Most "infections" occur thru unpatched software (ie: browser, apps, etc) or zero-day security issues as the bad guys are very quick to pounce on recently discovered bugs in software so the anti-virus definitions can't keep up.

It pays to pay attention and just like the scam phone callers, if it's too good to be true then you know what to do...

Also pay attention to that cheap cam you bought on Harbor Freight that is attached to your internal network. They typically never update the software ever so it is literally an open door...you get what you pay for rules apply there as well...

[lust4speed]

Received a message the other day that my computer had been taken over and if I didn't send a rather large bitcoin payment they were going to release the photos of me doing odd things while watching videos on my computer. Now ignoring the fact that I don't do any of those things, the main problem with their threat is I don't have a web cam.

Thought of asking for some 8x10 glossy's but figured that although the person wasn't too bright that made the threat, he might have friends he could call if I poked him too hard. So I just deleted it.

[kingbuzzo]

8x10 glossy's 😆

[KS circutguy]

Bob had the same kinda issue.
The answers my be helpful.
Thread link.Lots of helpful information.
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=871369