I almost got nailed

[SeilerBird]

I have been bragging all my adult life that I could not get a virus on my computer. Well I almost did. I stopped using Windows about 15 years ago when I switched to Chromebooks. I can't even remember the last time I fired up my Windows laptop, at least 5 years ago. I bought a new Garmin GPS and wanted to update the maps and that is one thing you cannot do on a Chromebook. When I tried to fire it up and would not do anything. Undoubtedly a dead battery. So I junked it and bought a refurbished Windows laptop. It was running Windows 10 which surprised me. I hated Windows 8 and 9 but it appears they have corrected many mistakes.

I did not put any personal information on the machine and I did not turn off the anti-virus or do any thing other than play cards and updated my GPS. I tuned on the computer a few weeks ago and was met with big warning signs that told me my computer had been hacked and not to turn off the computer, just call Microsoft at the number below. It was early in the morning and I was cussing MS since I had never been hacked until I tried to use MS. I should have run a simple search on the phone number and discovered that it was not a MS phone number. So I spent an hour and a half on the phone to three different people at 'MS' and finally it dawned on me what was going on. They told me that they have identified 61 hackers on my network. One from China and 56 from Russia. Then he wanted to know how big the cash credit line was on my bank card.

Now I can see how easily one could end up giving these clowns money. Since then the only problem has been Mcafee sending emails every day telling me that my anti-virus has expired. I have gotten three days of them telling me my computer was at risk, final notice.

I still don't know how they got into my machine. My best guess is that it was on the hard drive when I bought it.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Ever since 1987 I’ve had Macs. Never a problem. I homeschooled kiddo and I had to purchase a Dell computer to run some software and that system was down more than it worked. I ended up buying the educational software from a third party that had been converted to macos. Got us by. Sold the Dell.

 

[Skookum]

There are a lot of ways you can get infected with all sorts of stuff by plugging in a Windows machine to the internet. A refurbished machine should come with a completely wiped and re-imaged drive, but who knows. Depends on who "refurbished" it.

 

[DonTom]

just call Microsoft

I am surprised you would fall for that one.

BTW, they also use a telephone and call people saying they are from Microsoft to discuss a problem on your computer.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Skookum]

I should mention... On any new Windows machine, Run Windows update immediately from the control panel and install all available updates. Keep installing and restarting and checking until you're up to date.

Make sure windows firewall is turned on. If MS includes their own antivirus, make sure it's enabled, and up to date. I'd recommend also using a product like BitDefender for antivirus and safer web surfing.

Or bin it and buy a Mac

 

[8Muddypaws]

Wait? You bought a used machine and didn't wipe the disk and re-install the OS from scratch?

I suggest you do that ASAP.

Let me know if you need step by step instructions.

 

[Lou Schneider]

I am surprised you would fall for that one.

BTW, they also use a telephone and call people saying they are from Microsoft to discuss a problem on your computer.

-Don- Reno, NV

Yeah, I like when the first thing they ask is the name of my internet provider and try walking me through finding the computer's IP address. You'd think they'd already have that info if they identified the computer as one having a problem.

 

[DonTom]

Yeah, I like when the first thing they ask is the name of my internet provider and try walking me through finding the computer's IP address. You'd think they'd already have that info if they identified the computer as one having a problem.

I simply hang up on them, so I do not even know what they ask. It's an obvious scam as soon as they call.

But yeah, asking for information that they need to already have is kinda ridiculous. But I guess they still get enough suckers to keep on at it.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[SeilerBird]

Wait? You bought a used machine and didn't wipe the disk and re-install the OS from scratch?

I suggest you do that ASAP.

Let me know if you need step by step instructions.

It wasn't obvious to me at the start. I did not wipe the hard drive and reinstall Windows because it is the only used computer I have ever purchased. It never dawned on me that there could be a problem. Thanks for the offer but I am not going to use it on the Internet again.

 

[John From Detroit]

I've seen those very scary warnings many times. Some of them disable the standard ways of getting rid of the pop-up/page but sitting on the power button will shut down the computer.. Which has not (yet) been hacked. and which is not (Yet) infected.

If I had the skills and the funds (I have neither) I'd put a recorder on the net. all traffic recorded for analysis and when I get one of those... WARPATH. but alas.. See what I don't have.

Those internet scammers and hackers are expected to cost nearly TEN TRILLION dollars this year.
It is time the US government (Who does have people with the skills I don't have and who does have the funds) got very aggressive and fined those scammers and hackers like a Trillion or 10 a pop.

 

[Ray-IN]

I should mention... On any new Windows machine, Run Windows update immediately from the control panel and install all available updates. Keep installing and restarting and checking until you're up to date.

Make sure windows firewall is turned on. If MS includes their own antivirus, make sure it's enabled, and up to date. I'd recommend also using a product like BitDefender for antivirus and safer web surfing.

Or bin it and buy a Mac

Bitdefender comes with W10. I've wiped my SSD clean, downloaded and installed a new copy of W10 4X now at it's always there already.

 

[TheBar]

Many virus or performance warning messages are actually ads from a 3rd party selling software or hackers with bad intent. If you follow the link in the ad or use their phone number you may be talking to a hacker. I've been using Microsoft's built in firewall and virus protection for 13 years without a virus. But I also use the Brave browser which eliminates all the ads which could be a virus. And it runs much faster because many times the ads take up more bandwidth than the webpage itself. Our company gave up on McAfee years ago because it slows down the computer and doesn't stop all the malware.

 

[Skookum]

Those internet scammers and hackers are expected to cost nearly TEN TRILLION dollars this year.
It is time the US government (Who does have people with the skills I don't have and who does have the funds) got very aggressive and fined those scammers and hackers like a Trillion or 10 a pop.

A lot of it is highly organized crime operating out of foreign nations, Russia, Eastern Bloc, China. The piddly stuff like ransomware on your home computer or a virus that deletes all you files is worth the FBI's time to go after in principle, but it's not cost effective to do so.

What happened in the last couple weeks to Change Healthcare, however, appears to be highly organized crime and is costing millions and millions of dollars. They were ransomwared, and it shut down their e-prescribe system, affecting millions of patients who were unable to get their prescriptions. That's one where regulators and the FBI will descend and investigate with force.

More interesting that fining some of these people is using intelligence to actually claw the money back.

 

[LarsMac]

I have been bragging all my adult life that I could not get a virus on my computer. Well I almost did. I stopped using Windows about 15 years ago when I switched to Chromebooks. I can't even remember the last time I fired up my Windows laptop, at least 5 years ago. I bought a new Garmin GPS and wanted to update the maps and that is one thing you cannot do on a Chromebook. When I tried to fire it up and would not do anything. Undoubtedly a dead battery. So I junked it and bought a refurbished Windows laptop. It was running Windows 10 which surprised me. I hated Windows 8 and 9 but it appears they have corrected many mistakes.

I did not put any personal information on the machine and I did not turn off the anti-virus or do any thing other than play cards and updated my GPS. I tuned on the computer a few weeks ago and was met with big warning signs that told me my computer had been hacked and not to turn off the computer, just call Microsoft at the number below. It was early in the morning and I was cussing MS since I had never been hacked until I tried to use MS. I should have run a simple search on the phone number and discovered that it was not a MS phone number. So I spent an hour and a half on the phone to three different people at 'MS' and finally it dawned on me what was going on. They told me that they have identified 61 hackers on my network. One from China and 56 from Russia. Then he wanted to know how big the cash credit line was on my bank card.

Now I can see how easily one could end up giving these clowns money. Since then the only problem has been Mcafee sending emails every day telling me that my anti-virus has expired. I have gotten three days of them telling me my computer was at risk, final notice.

I still don't know how they got into my machine. My best guess is that it was on the hard drive when I bought it.

One thing to know is that there is a browser attack that will look exactly like what you describe, but it is actually a fake in the browser.

Powering off the PC will clear the memory and let you go on with your life.

I HATE McAfee, but their anti-malware is effective. They are just annoying and expensive.

If you're looking for good anti-malware that is not annoying, I recommend Webroot Security. The cost is modest and they are not annoying, and they rank in the top AV products every year.

 

[SeilerBird]

One thing to know is that there is a browser attack that will look exactly like what you describe, but it is actually a fake in the browser.

Powering off the PC will clear the memory and let you go on with your life.

I HATE McAfee, but their anti-malware is effective. They are just annoying and expensive.

If you're looking for good anti-malware that is not annoying, I recommend Webroot Security. The cost is modest and they are not annoying, and they rank in the top AV products every year.

I refuse to use anti-virus or malware. Chromebook doesn't need it and can't be used there anyhow.

 

[DonTom]

Chromebook doesn't need it

Says the guy who is too chicken to open up the links here.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[SeilerBird]

Says the guy who is too chicken to open up the links here.

-Don- Reno, NV

I am not too chicken to open links. I open them if it is explained to me what I am clicking on and why. Just a link that says 'click here' has no appeal to me. it is a very long explanation but I am a terrible typist so I avoid them.

 

[solarman]

Many virus or performance warning messages are actually ads from a 3rd party selling software or hackers with bad intent. If you follow the link in the ad or use their phone number you may be talking to a hacker. I've been using Microsoft's built in firewall and virus protection for 13 years without a virus. But I also use the Brave browser which eliminates all the ads which could be a virus. And it runs much faster because many times the ads take up more bandwidth than the webpage itself. Our company gave up on McAfee years ago because it slows down the computer and doesn't stop all the malware.

these scammers will try any means to open your wallet.. fake service calls and refunds from "Microsoft"
seem to be the most common, most of these scammers reside in India and are very difficult to track and shut down. the usual form is "give me access to your bank account and we will deposit your refund"..

 

[DonTom]

Just a link that says 'click here' has no appeal to me.

Click here.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[SeilerBird]

Why do some people get so pissed off if I refuse to follow a blind link?