As a person who’s been online a long time and is pretty savvy about tech and virus issues, I watch my inbox for emails with attachments that I don’t recognize; sites that automatically re-direct me elsewhere and have my anti-virus software updated daily and do regular scans. I back up email and files to two external drives. I thought I was pretty smart and thankfully I take lots of notes when working with my tech guy and/or Microsoft technical support.
Late last summer as I was on a “tear” of creativity writing emails and posts, a generic screen popped up on my computer and said I had just downloaded a virus. I didn’t examine the “notification window” closely to realize it wasn’t the one associated with my own anti-virus software. The notification screen said I should do an immediate scan –which I did. According to that “scan”, I had over 40 viruses, worms and trojan horses! I panicked despite the fact I had performed an anti-virus scan the week before and came out clean.
The scan window suggested I upgrade to Protective Anti-Virus software for $50 for one year or a three year upgrade for $79.00 to remove all these nasty critters. Whipping out the plastic, I decided to \purchase only a one-year upgrade, thinking that I was being smart in handling it so quickly . I downloaded the upgrade and upon rebooting the computer, I discovered that I had made a colossal error in judgement.
The computer came to desk-top but none of my Microsoft programs worked. Attempting to open any Microsoft program: Outlook, Internet Explorer, or MS Office and the window/program immediately shut down. I checked the Protective Anti-Virus software site (otherwise known as PAV) for tech support and sent them 4 emails and 4 voicemails over two days. I did get a voice-mail from someone from PAV but that message was to ask me to call back. I did– but heard nothing further.
My tech guy arrived to check out the computer and discovered that I had PAV. Upon googling “PAV”, we found several sites that indicated PAV was malware– a program bent on crippling a computer. One site alone had over 40,000 posts on how their computers were disabled by PAV and how to fix it. The PAV people had since improved their malware to point of requiring a complete wipe of the computer to clear out PAV. Not only had I downloaded something that had taken me off-line, but I paid them to do it with my credit card so I was the victim of credit card fraud. I called my bank to dispute the charge to PAV and also filed a fraud report. Three weeks — and over one thousand dollars in tech support and additional hardware– later, my computer was fully functional but I had lost various document, photo and audio-visual files in the restoration. Cyber-crime had struck with a vengence!
Fast-forward 4 weeks: I happened to be on Peter Shankman’s HARO site (Help a Reporter Out) and saw a post by a writer asking for cyber-crime victims. I sent in my very brief email and the email exchanges began. About twenty emails later, I was on the phone with PR people who wanted to hear about my malware experience in exhaustive detail — conversation full of questions.
Eventually I found out that their client– McAfee,— wanted to use me in a video about cyber-crime and how sophisticated it has become and how easily it is to be taken in by these scams or “scareware”
– “Scareware,” or fake anti-virus software, could cause the most monetary damages to consumers and their computers in 2010.
– “One company, known as ‘Integrated Marketing’ made $180 million through these scams, and more than two million consumers contacted the company regarding its software.”
– According to McAfee, there has been a 400% increase in reported incidents in the last 12 months. It’s been the number one call-driver to McAfee’s Virus Removal Service team for the past six months, with more than 19,000 calls logged in January 2010 alone.
Please don’t assume your anti-virus software is sufficient to prevent this from happening, to you! I changed anti-virus programs after the malware infection occurred and have daily updates and weekly scans. Yet last week I was hit with another malware “virus alert” that definitely was not from my anti-virus program. To prevent any potential problems in case it downloaded something to my computer, I shut down and rebooted the computer; did an anti-virus update and completed a full scan. Guess what– I was completely virus-free.
The entire point of the McAfee Initiative is to make the internet safer for everyone– because the last thing you want to have happen is for your computer to be hijacked by malware and then held for ransom along with your credit card.
US map of Fake Anti-Virus attacks
Here’s what McAfee has to say about this:
Scareware is one of the most prevalent, dangerous, and sophisticated scams online today. Cybercriminals create pop-ups with generic looking logos, telling the user that their computer may be vulnerable. It preys on consumers’ fears.
One million people around the world fall victim to scareware everyday. (McAfee Labs)
This is a lucrative business for cybercriminals – there are large networks of cybercriminals around the world who make millions of dollars on this type of scareware. And, they often change the code in attempt to evade security companies.
McAfee Labs reports that cybercriminals make around $300 million each year from scamming consumers around the world with scareware. (McAfee Labs)
Cybercriminals are savvy, and relentless. Users must practice “computer smarts” to stay ahead of the criminals and not fall victim to the increasingly sophisticated scams.
Fake anti-virus threats are rampant and growing. There’s been a 400% increase in reported incidents in the last 12 months alone, and it’s the number one call driver to McAfee’s Virus Removal Service team for the past six months running. There were more than 19,000 calls to McAfee’s Virus Removal Service team in January 2010.
There are more than 3,000known fake AV products, with more being developed every day by cybercriminals around the world. (McAfee Labs)
One in five online consumers was a victim of cybercrime in the past two years. (Consumer Reports, 2009)
Almost a half-million households had to replace PCs due to malware in the past six months (source: Consumer Reports, June 2009.)
Consumers can get a warning about the latest threats with inside intelligence from McAfee Labs, through McAfee’s Consumer Threat Alerts.
McAfee educates users about the dangerous reality of today’s online threats through initiatives like Consumer Threat Alerts
McAfee’s Consumer Threat Alerts program will help consumers stay ahead of evolving and sophisticated threats. Subscribers will receive periodic email alerts about how to recognize the latest online dangers and tips on how to stay safe. (www.mcafee.com/consumer-threats-signup)
In addition to the email notification, all updates will be posted on the Consumer Threat Alerts blog, and consumers can also follow McAfee on Twitter (@mcafee) or visit the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mcafee) asd well as check the McAfee Consumer Threats Blog www.mcafee.com/consumer-threats-blog. (www.mcafee.com/consumer-threats-blog) for updates, videos and tips.
“We’re giving consumers the ‘street smarts’ they need to live their online lives safely,” said Green. “With education and the right technology, we can all play a part in the fight against cybercrime.”
Be aware, be smart, be safe.
For your information, I was not paid for my time, participation or video appearance by any party. For me, it is a matter of keeping you safe by learning what mistakes I made so you don’t have to learn the way I did– the hard way.
Stevie Wilson, LA-Story.com
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