~BD~ wrote:
> Some great information in the 'Answer' - here:
>
> http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...e-2a3ade37091c


Avoid tech support phone scams
http://www.microsoft.com/security/on...one-scams.aspx

Its a total scam. Uninstall their software and then run a System Restore
back to before you installed it.
Change all your sensitive passwords on all sites - email, bank, credit
cards and others. (Do not do this
on the compromized computer and it would be best to do on the phone or
in-person.)

You may even want to revert your system back to factory fresh to be sure
their software is not breaching
your security. (Means to re-install Windows Clean - removing everything
on the drive so backup any data
before hand.)

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In USA you can contact FBI, State Attorney General, local law
enforcement and consumer
watch groups. Arm yourself with knowledge.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the
Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), funded in part
by the Bureau of Justice Assistance
(BJA).
http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx

No, Microsoft would not call you unsolicited. Nor would they know if any
errors existed on your
computer. So those are frauds or scams, to get your money or worse to
steal your identity.

Don't fall for Phony Phone Tech Support
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/securitytips...h-support.aspx

Avoid scams that use the Microsoft name fraudulently - Microsoft does
not make unsolicited
phone calls to help you fix your computer
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/fra...ng/Msname.aspx

Hoaxes and Scams
http://support.microsoft.com/contact...s=support#tab3

Microsoft Consumer Support Center
https://consumersecuritysupport.micr...rect=1&gssnb=1

Microsoft Support
http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support#tab0

Microsoft - Contact Support
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...ontact-support

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Do these thoroughly :

If you need to check for malware here are my recommendations - these
will allow you to do
a thorough check and removal without ending up with a load of spyware
programs running
resident which can cause as many issues as the malware and maybe harder
to detect as the
cause.

No one program can be relied upon to detect and remove all malware.
Added that often easy
to detect malware is often accompanied by a much harder to detect and
remove payload. So
its better to be overly thorough now than to pay the high price later.
Check with these to an
extreme overkill point and then run the cleanup only when you are very
sure the system is clean.

These can be done in Safe Mode - repeatedly tap F8 as you boot however
you should also run
them in regular Windows when you can.

TDSSKiller.exe. - Download to the Desktop - then go to it and Right
Click on it - RUN AS ADMIN
it will show any infections in the report after running - if it will not
run change the name from
tdsskiller.exe to tdsskiller.com. Whether it finds anything or not does
not mean you should not
check with the other methods below.
http://support.kaspersky.com/viruses...?qid=208280684

Download malwarebytes and scan with it, run MRT, and add Prevx to be
sure it is gone.
(If Rootkits run UnHackMe)

Download - SAVE - go to where you put it - Right Click on it - RUN AS ADMIN

Malwarebytes - free
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

SuperAntiSpyware Portable Scanner - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/port...g=SAS_HOMEPAGE

Run the Microsoft Malicious Removal Tool

Start - type in Search box -> MRT find at top of list - Right Click on
it - RUN AS ADMIN.

You should be getting this tool and its updates via Windows Updates - if
needed you can
download it here.

Download - SAVE - go to where you put it - Right Click on it - RUN AS ADMIN
(Then run MRT as above.)

Microsoft Malicious Removal Tool - 32 bit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Microsoft Malicious Removal Tool - 64 bit
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

also install Prevx to be sure it is all gone.

Download - SAVE - go to where you put it - Right Click on it - RUN AS ADMIN

Prevx - Home - Free - small, fast, exceptional CLOUD protection, works
with other
security programs. This is a scanner only, VERY EFFECTIVE, if it finds
something come back
here or use Google to see how to remove.
http://www.prevx.com/ <-- information
http://info.prevx.com/downloadcsi.asp?prevx=Y <-- download

PCmag - Prevx - Editor's Choice
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346862,00.asp

Try the trial version of Hitman Pro :

Hitman Pro is a second opinion scanner, designed to rescue your computer
from malware
(viruses, trojans, rootkits, etc.) that have infected your computer
despite all the security
measures you have taken (such as anti virus software, firewalls, etc.).
http://www.surfright.nl/en/hitmanpro

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If needed here are some online free scanners to help

http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/

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Original version is now replaced by the Microsoft Safety Scanner
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

Microsoft Safety Scanner
http://www.microsoft.com/security/sc...s/default.aspx

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http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner

Other Free online scans
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...q=f&oq=&aqi=g1

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After removing any malware :

Also do these to cleanup general corruption and repair/replace
damaged/missing
system files.

Start - type this in Search Box -> COMMAND find at top and RIGHT
CLICK - RUN AS ADMIN

Enter this at the prompt - sfc /scannow

How to Repair Windows 7 System Files with System File Checker
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...e-checker.html

How to analyze the log file entries that the Microsoft Windows Resource
Checker (SFC.exe) program
generates in Windows Vista cbs.log
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228

Also run CheckDisk so we can rule out corruption as much as possible.

How to Run Disk Check in Windows 7
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...isk-check.html

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If any Rootkits are found use this thread and other suggestions. (Run
UnHackMe)

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/...-54b7e1e7a5a4/

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If needed AFTER you are sure the machine is clean of all malware.

How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...r-install.html

Hope this helps and Happy Holidays!

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer :
Bicycle <- Mark Twain said it right.