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Viruses and the FBI

We have been seeing several viruses lately that at first blush look official. They will have the seal of the FBI and state that the FBI has found a problem with your computer. If you have a webcam – they will even show a picture of what is on the web cam (probably you) on the web page. Normally it will have a lot of official looking verbiage and name a IP location in Europe that is infected. Then they offer a solution that you merely need to provide a credit card or occasionally your social security number to allow them to verify you and correct the problem. Do not give them your numbers! This is a virus that has infected your computer. It will keep trying to get you to provide your credit card number until it is removed.

It is similar to many other scams that just try to get your personal information, the unique this about this is that it looks like an official US government (FBI) warning.

This is an interesting virus only in that the FBI announced effective Monday (79/2012) that they would shut down Internet servers that it temporarily set up to support those affected by malicious software, called DNSChanger. Turning off those servers knocked all those still infected offline. We have seen very few people affected by the DNSChanger virus.

Bottom line – if you have a screen on your machine saying the FBI is denying you access to the web – talk to a trusted PC professional . We can help. We normally do a virus removal for $60 to $120. This is a fraction of what some others charge.