Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just learned a lesson regarding an internet scam by a company selling virus protection and or anti spyware. The name of the the Company is Worldwide Software Baku, however lately they have begun making it look like they represent or are affiliated with Microsoft. They are attempting to sell you software that DOES NOT EXIST, specifically anti spyware. It begins with a pop up notice that says Trojan Horses, viruses, and anti spyware are lurking in the background of your computer and you are in imminent danger of irreversible damage to your computer. They then offer you a reasonably priced program to eliminate the problem and reverse the damage. If you buy it, or download it, it appears that it does repair the damage complete with a program icon. That icon will disappear in a matter of hours or a day or so, leaving only some damaged files, or desktop shortcuts that they in fact damaged to make it look like you really need their program. For more info do a search of Worldwide Software Baku Scam. Forewarned is forearmed! This lesson cost me $60 and the hassle of having to cancel my bankcard. They also seem to strike at a time making it difficult to investigate their claim, in my case at night on the weekend. Best of luck to the rest of you. At the time it happened I was using Mozilla Firefox and the desktop link would not work. I have also since upgraded from a free virus software to a paid version plus a firewall.

There's another virus going around that's a scam too except you don't lose any money, you just have to go through A LOT of hassle to get the money back!!!!!!! It's called the Security Center Virus!!!! It pops up saying you have all these virus's and you need to upgrade to a paid version.

Well Hello, Security Center is part of Windows and comes built in!!!! Had a buddy who ordered it from the virus and it took him 3 months to get his money back. Looks just like the MicroSoft Security Center.

Fatman

I had that ad or one very much like it last week pop up on my screen. I did not click on it! Thats the worse thing you can do. Instead I did a virus scan with my Mc afee virus checker. It showed no virus on the computer. It was just a phishing scam. If you do not click on it or in any other way open it then your computer will not be infected. You just do the three finger salute..... hit...Control .....Alt ......Delete at the same time. Then a drop down box will appear allowing you to end the pop up program. but if you were initially fooled by the phishing notice, and believe me it is a very slick looking notice that looks really official from Microsoft. If you were fooled enough to have clicked their link to see the virus supposidly infecting your computer. That click is were it gets downloaded. If ever you are that unsure of a notice you can always turn off the computer and seek advice from someone who is savvy in these things.

Your best bet is to get Norton Internet Security or McAfee Anti Virus, turn them on, subscribe to the live updates and let it handle everything. Any "you have a virus" stuff that does not come from them can be ignored.

Jeff

For anyone whose computer has gotten something like this, try Malwarebytes. It's a free download, and has rescued my home and work computers several times. We use AVG at work and McAfee at home and these things blew right past both of them with ease.

same here get Malwarebytes, it works.

If something pops up without you running anything, then that's a bit of a red flag.

Microsoft's Add-on security suite is called "Security Essentials", not "Security Center". The real thing is here: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/ It is free and works great. The one thing about Norton and other suites is the bloated-ness. I use this and it works well. It also is nice as it has little affect on the performance of my computer. It's very light weight.

I have used them all, Norton Internet Security, McAfee etc. The thing I hated about those large suites, is that they would actually use more of my system's resources than I would have liked. Microsoft's Security Essentials does not. I have dropped McAfee and Norton (I don't use both on same machine) and am using this and recommending it to my friends and family since I am the family computer support dept.

wayne

Wayne

I understand you can get Security Essentials but the built in Security Center comes with XP, Vista and Win7.

The virus I spoke of about about a fake Security Center has now hit with the Security Essentials http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02...entials_rogue/ it's the same type of virus.

Fatman

I just had the dubious pleasure of a visit from "Antivirus XP 2010," which is a virus that tries to get you to send credit card information in order to activate their program which can then save your computer. Antivirus XP 2010 and six or seven previous viruses have blown right through my fully updated, latest edition of McAfee Antivirus Software. I am having severe second thoughts about McAfee. Malwarebytes got rid of the recurring messages about computer damage and theft of personal information. I would sure like to get Islamic with these &^%@$#% virus writers---it would sure slow down their typing. 8T :)