pop ups

[quattro]

I was subjected to an internet scam which resulted in my phone line calling Diego Garcia (an island in the South Atlantic) and costing me a fortune since then my internet has become plagued with pop ups telling me my computer is infected with a virus and telling me to download certain software the various addresses given are spyware advisory,www.windowspatch.net ,www.spw7f.com ,www.win-clean.com ,are these another scam or are they legit as the pop ups got me in trouble in the first place!

[Potatoman]

Ok, run a virus checker to be on the safe side. Then use something like spybot or ad-aware to remove the spyware that you have. Then check yr internet setting and make sure the homepage and dialup number is correct. It would strongly recommend that you DO NOT follow these popups.

[baconbutty]

Sounds like your computer is riddled with spyware (a less destructive, but financially more advantageous form of virus). I would not trust spyware telling where to get anti-spyware software. Like a safecracker telling me where to buy a safe! A good piece of free software is Spybot. http://www.spybot.info/en/index.html Load this and run it every so often to keep your computer clean. Also invest in a good firewall and anti-virus package. E.g. Symantec. Your computer is attack on average every few minutes when on line.

[Potatoman]

Is there an echo in here!?

[quattro]

Thank you it cost me �167 on my phone bill and I had to pay it even though it was'nt my fault.

[peanut]

The only thing that would tell you you have a virus would be an antivirus program. those popups are crap, people just trying to sucker you into downloasding things you dont really need.

[Phantaxus]

see OneEyedVic's and my answer here http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Money_and_Finance/Question625 55.html

[baconbutty]

Apologies to Potatoman for repeating your answer. My first visit to this web site. We may have submitted the same answer simultaneously.

[Bernardw]

Hi there Shame about your phone bill. If you aren't very computer literate an easy way for you to prevent some problems like this is to downlload Google Toolbar as that has a setting that blocks most pop-ups but allows you to control which you want to let through, say from a site you trust or when dealing with (e.g.) your bank. You've had enough advice on anti-virus software and spyware removal already, please act on that advice.

[nacnud]

HI JUST READ YOUR ABOUT YOUR INTERNET SCAM , THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, ONLY I GOT HIT FOR FOUR HUNDRED QUID , THE BEST WAY AROUND THIS SCAM IS TO GET ON TO BT OR WHOEVER YOUR PHONE LINE SUPPLIER IS AND GET THEM TO BLOCK ALL NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PREMIUM RATE NUMBERS THATS WHAT I HAVE DONE,GOOD LUCK.