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VIRUS ALERT!! Metropolitan Police scam

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deltic1989

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This evening, I was browsing youtube watching videos, when all of a sudden my computer screen turned white and displayed a message claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police Service.
The message told me that Illegal files had been found on my computer and that it had been locked, and true enough I couldn't access any of my programs or files.
The message demanded that I pay a 'fine' of £100 to unlock my computer.
It goes without saying that this is a scam, and what is really worrying is that it slipped in without alerting any of my anti virus software.
Luckily I had a friend on hand who is more computer literate than me to help me get rid of it.
It has gone away after starting my computer in safe mode with command prompt and performing a system restore.
The page does look rather convincing and it could lure the unsuspecting into parting with their hard earned cash.
A quick google, revealed that this scam has turned up all over the world claiming to be from various law enforcement agencies but always with the same basic idea.
I just thought I would post a warning to make people aware of this so that they can be on their guard.
 
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wintonian

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Another good reason not to run Windows.

But for the majority that still do heres a guide to get rid with pic of the offending web page that appears.

Or if you want a quick no frills way of dealing with it then apparently Kaspersky Rescue Disk will nuke it, I would also recommend Kaspersky as internet security software, last years version can normally be had for aprox £10 on Amazon and can be upgraded to the current version for free.
 

HST Power

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I've had dozens of problems with my computer, due to viruses and hacking, for no apparent reason whatsoever. I use full security and never access websites that are not certified as 'safe,' though this just goes to show that you can never be too careful!

Thankfully, I've never encountered a problem that couldn't be fixed by a system restore. Two years ago, every single one of my documents and files was locked out by a virus, though a restore did the trick as always.
 

Yew

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The best solution it to take a multi layered approach to virus protection, what one program doesn't pick up, another might. Using free program's such as spy not search and destroy, malware bytes, and avast, you can add some layers to your security at no cost.

(I'm not related to the program's above, a art from being an happy user. Be careful downloading spybot, as there is a fake program with a similar name, use the cnet download and check the reviews first to make sure you download a safe program)
 

yorkie

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Or use Ubuntu, noscript (add-on for FireFox) and a hosts file. Combined with common sense, that's probably safer than using Windows and loads of anti-virus software, yet costs nothing.

As for '... for no apparent reason whatsoever....' it's because you use Windows and you are allowing scripts to run on any website that you happen to visit (including websites that a website you are visiting is taking content from, without your permission/knowledge).
 

GB

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The best solution it to take a multi layered approach to virus protection, what one program doesn't pick up, another might. Using free program's such as spy not search and destroy, malware bytes, and avast, you can add some layers to your security at no cost.

(I'm not related to the program's above, a art from being an happy user. Be careful downloading spybot, as there is a fake program with a similar name, use the cnet download and check the reviews first to make sure you download a safe program)

The trouble is that using more than one AV software could cause conflictions between them and can hog alot of system resources.
 

185

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Reason a lot of us use Windows IE is it's easier to fix when things do go wrong, pulling apart Ubuntu was murder.

To clear the (quite old) 'MetPolice' virus, you need to interrupt startup (F8 or F9?) and select safe mode, then run system restore.

I never trust 'antivirus' software as the truth is the people who write the viruses often work for antivirus companies themselves. No viruses, no need for antivirus companies.
 

PaxVobiscum

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I never trust 'antivirus' software as the truth is the people who write the viruses often work for antivirus companies themselves. No viruses, no need for antivirus companies.

Now there's a conspiracy theory for you :)
 

ainsworth74

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Seeing as we're talking about Scams and whatnot, I assume we're all familiar with the phone call that claims to come from Microsoft and ends with you willingly downloading malicious software? I just had that phone call this morning after waiting for it to happen for a year or so. Great fun :D
 

SS4

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Reason a lot of us use Windows IE is it's easier to fix when things do go wrong, pulling apart Ubuntu was murder.

In your opinion (overlooking the comparison between browser and OS). How easy it is to fix a problem when things go wrong is entirely subjective, in my experience ubuntu is much easier to fix than windows helped in no small part by config files being plain text and signed package repositories are more secure than downloading from the vendors let alone a third party site. How easy something is to fix should also be considered a function of how often something goes wrong.

I still reckon a lot more people use IE at work/school etc because they've not got a choice, that said I've heard IE9/10 aren't bad.


To clear the (quite old) 'MetPolice' virus, you need to interrupt startup (F8 or F9?) and select safe mode, then run system restore.

I never trust 'antivirus' software as the truth is the people who write the viruses often work for antivirus companies themselves. No viruses, no need for antivirus companies.

Have an irony certificate for not trusting Antivirus but trusting a closed source OS. :p

Mostly though it's not in a antivirus companies' best interest to write viruses themselves thanks to consumer confidence
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Seeing as we're talking about Scams and whatnot, I assume we're all familiar with the phone call that claims to come from Microsoft and ends with you willingly downloading malicious software? I just had that phone call this morning after waiting for it to happen for a year or so. Great fun :D

I've not had the pleasure yet so I've time to perfect my inner troll :D
 

dggar

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Seeing as we're talking about Scams and whatnot, I assume we're all familiar with the phone call that claims to come from Microsoft and ends with you willingly downloading malicious software? I just had that phone call this morning after waiting for it to happen for a year or so. Great fun :D

I had this phone call about a month ago.

After playing them along for about 5 Minutes I asked the for the the IP address of the machine that was supposed to be sending out "malware".
They said I'd have to switch my computer on before they could tell me.

I told them that this answer was rubbish, but they then insisted that I needed to switch my computer on.

At this point I told them that I was a senior Microsoft security employee (I'm not) and I could hear them going into a blind panic on the other end of the line.

The call was shortly terminated.
 

wintonian

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In your opinion (overlooking the comparison between browser and OS). How easy it is to fix a problem when things go wrong is entirely subjective, in my experience ubuntu is much easier to fix than windows helped in no small part by config files being plain text and signed package repositories are more secure than downloading from the vendors let alone a third party site. How easy something is to fix should also be considered a function of how often something goes wrong.

I still reckon a lot more people use IE at work/school etc because they've not got a choice, that said I've heard IE9/10 aren't bad.

As someone who has finally gone over to Linux (Kubuntu & Xbuntu with Peppermint on the netbook) after various attempts go get my head around it over the last 10 years. Using Linux needs a change of mindset, it is modular so that installing a program/ package does not write it self in such away that leaves hidden bits behind on trying to remove it, and everything has reasonably easy to find and edit config files and Bash is so much more logical that DOS.

Windows makes it simple by giving you easy to use point and click interface that limits what you can do, Linux on the other hand additionally allows you easily edit the config files to make more in depth changes/ customisations and I don't need to buy an internet security package one a year or run any anti virus.


Have an irony certificate for not trusting Antivirus but trusting a closed source OS. :p

Mostly though it's not in a antivirus companies' best interest to write viruses themselves thanks to consumer confidence

I seem to remember that Miscrosoft have left a back door in Windows for the FBI or was it the CIA? ;)

Having said that my use of DBAN and LUKS is bordering on paranoid.
 

SS4

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As someone who has finally gone over to Linux (Kubuntu & Xbuntu with Peppermint on the netbook) after various attempts go get my head around it over the last 10 years. Using Linux needs a change of mindset, it is modular so that installing a program/ package does not write it self in such away that leaves hidden bits behind on trying to remove it, and everything has reasonably easy to find and edit config files and Bash is so much more logical that DOS.

Windows makes it simple by giving you easy to use point and click interface that limits what you can do, Linux on the other hand additionally allows you easily edit the config files to make more in depth changes/ customisations and I don't need to buy an internet security package one a year or run any anti virus

You're preaching to the converted :lol:

Also you got Kubuntu to run on a netbook? Wouldn't that have been slow with KDE's fully featured desktop? I still can't get my head round LUKS though
 

David

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wintonian

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You're preaching to the converted :lol:

Also you got Kubuntu to run on a netbook? Wouldn't that have been slow with KDE's fully featured desktop? I still can't get my head round LUKS though

No I use Peppermint on the netbook which uses LXDE, I'm not normally a fan of LXDE but it works well with this distro and I hardly use the netbook these days anyway. I have put KDE on in netbook mode but it takes for ever to start up and although it runs slow it works fine. A bit on the simple side but easypeasy also works well on netbooks.

Xbuntu runs on the laptop (although I do dual boot with Kubuntu) and I'm really quite a fan of it, again I just can't get on with Lubuntu which looks like someone never go around to finishing GUI.

Kubuntu on the desktop as I just could not get Ubuntu to run (Gnome just hates my hardware) and besides what the heck is that awful Unity side bar all about? Why can't you get rid of it? It's Just annoying arghh! On the other hand the new Mint 13 cinnamon desktop looks fantastic (not played with it much though), although don't bother asking for help on their forums you'll just get ignored if your not in 'the club'.

I have made a the odd attempt over the last decade to get into Linux but just couldn't get my head around it and I didn't spend long enough playing around with it on my last attempt 4 or 5 years ago, but this time I took one look at the Windows 8 preview, and I found it easier to work out the GUI in Kubuntu then that awful Metro (or whatever it is now) interface. Just wish I could get Avantix to work properly under wine.
 

SS4

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No I use Peppermint on the netbook which uses LXDE, I'm not normally a fan of LXDE but it works well with this distro and I hardly use the netbook these days anyway. I have put KDE on in netbook mode but it takes for ever to start up and although it runs slow it works fine. A bit on the simple side but easypeasy also works well on netbooks.

Xbuntu runs on the laptop (although I do dual boot with Kubuntu) and I'm really quite a fan of it, again I just can't get on with Lubuntu which looks like someone never go around to finishing GUI.

That makes a lot more sense. LXDE is very modular and how good it looks generally depends on how much openbox has been configured although it's not too hard to do it manually with a well-commented config file. I tried running kubuntu on the laptop and it failed miserably (512mb ram)

Kubuntu on the desktop as I just could not get Ubuntu to run (Gnome just hates my hardware) and besides what the heck is that awful Unity side bar all about? Why can't you get rid of it? It's Just annoying arghh! On the other hand the new Mint 13 cinnamon desktop looks fantastic (not played with it much though), although don't bother asking for help on their forums you'll just get ignored if your not in 'the club'.

Unity looks awful and gnome 3 was awful enough for a fork of Gnome 2 to be made. I'm using cinnamon at the moment, it works as well at it looks but uses a lot of gtk programs. Mint is a pretty exclusive club, always has been since they split from ubuntu and the farce over Israel further divided opinion. Google or the Arch wiki usually do the job anyway.

I have made a the odd attempt over the last decade to get into Linux but just couldn't get my head around it and I didn't spend long enough playing around with it on my last attempt 4 or 5 years ago, but this time I took one look at the Windows 8 preview, and I found it easier to work out the GUI in Kubuntu then that awful Metro (or whatever it is now) interface. Just wish I could get Avantix to work properly under wine.

Avantix is a pain under wine although it does work. I keep XP in a VM these days for Avantix and to play Worms (Armageddon)
 

JoeH

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While this has turned in to a debate on the relative merits of different operating systems when it comes to security surely more attention should be paid to the opening post? You don't simply get these sort of things from browsing YouTube, indeed I've heard numerous tales of this sort of virus/scam before and all of them began with a visit to a 'different' sort of video site.
 

wintonian

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While this has turned in to a debate on the relative merits of different operating systems when it comes to security surely more attention should be paid to the opening post? You don't simply get these sort of things from browsing YouTube, indeed I've heard numerous tales of this sort of virus/scam before and all of them began with a visit to a 'different' sort of video site.

Your right I have drifted off topic.

This piece of ransonware is called "Reveton" and a Google shows it to be mainly a European thing from last year that is just starting to hit the USA as well.

Apparently some variants have the ability to take control of webcams, which is why you should keep such things unplugged or disabled (prefrably uninstall the drivers) if integrated into a laptop for example.
 

ATW Alex 101

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I had this phone call about a month ago.

After playing them along for about 5 Minutes I asked the for the the IP address of the machine that was supposed to be sending out "malware".
They said I'd have to switch my computer on before they could tell me.

I told them that this answer was rubbish, but they then insisted that I needed to switch my computer on.

At this point I told them that I was a senior Microsoft security employee (I'm not) and I could hear them going into a blind panic on the other end of the line.

The call was shortly terminated.

I was on my own one day and something similar happened, phone rang Mr XXXXXX your windows pc is sending us error messages and they asked for my computer to be turned on and told them what should I do now the big apple has appeared on the screen nd they hung up. (My pc is actually windows though)
 

PaxVobiscum

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While this has turned in to a debate on the relative merits of different operating systems when it comes to security surely more attention should be paid to the opening post? You don't simply get these sort of things from browsing YouTube, indeed I've heard numerous tales of this sort of virus/scam before and all of them began with a visit to a 'different' sort of video site.

The fact remains that it wouldn't have happened on Linux or Mac OS.
 

JoeH

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The fact remains that it wouldn't have happened on Linux or Mac OS.

It also probably wouldn't happened on a Windows installation with the latest updates installed.

80% of my desktop computing is on OS X but I do have Windows machines and they don't have these problems. To my knowledge I've never had a virus on them.

I'm frequently asked to fix other people's Windows computers and they are often infested with large amounts of malware and whatever else but these are usually old XP based machines that haven't been updated with Windows Update. There doesn't seem to be nearly as much of a problem with Windows 7 and later where I think automatic updates are switched on by default.

Windows Update is at least as important as having anti-virus software, common sense doesn't hurt either.
 

Temple Meads

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Seeing as we're talking about Scams and whatnot, I assume we're all familiar with the phone call that claims to come from Microsoft and ends with you willingly downloading malicious software? I just had that phone call this morning after waiting for it to happen for a year or so. Great fun :D

I've only had the pleasure the once - really enjoyed it that time :)
 

WelshBluebird

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I had this phone call about a month ago.

After playing them along for about 5 Minutes I asked the for the the IP address of the machine that was supposed to be sending out "malware".
They said I'd have to switch my computer on before they could tell me.

I told them that this answer was rubbish, but they then insisted that I needed to switch my computer on.

At this point I told them that I was a senior Microsoft security employee (I'm not) and I could hear them going into a blind panic on the other end of the line.

The call was shortly terminated.

It is always fun having a play with them.
I have a macbook, and although I do have windows installed on the machine I rarely use it.
When I had a call from the same scammers, they asked me to do things like go to the start menu and click on my computer, obviously none of which you do on OS X. So I acted totally dump and went on saying "but I don't have a start button" and such.

I also know someone who did the whole "I can't click on your computer" when the scammer told them to click on "my computer" lol.
 

Don2912

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I've had the 'Metropolitan Police' virus, fortunately AVG did pick it up, and remove it.

I have also been fortunate (?) to have the same scam 'phone call purporting to be from Microsoft on several occasions over the past month. There are several ways I deal with them:

- Tell them that I have a Mac. Only used if I can't be ar$ed to deal with them.
- Pretend that the caller has called a Police station, and I will 'aside' to "Tom" to set the recorder and to get a trace on the call (Tom is my cat!).
- Act stupid.
- On one occasion, the PC was off when I got one of these calls; I sat there tippy-tapping on the keyboard, as the scammer went through what he wanted me to do... Managed to waste almost half an hour of his time.
- Pretend to be a MS employee, or in IT support. The former usually elicits sheer panic, the second usually results in a hang-up.
- Tell them to "foxtrot-oscar" VERY loudly. Used when I really can't be bothered with them.


THIS is hilarious. I wish I had the acting skills to pull this off...
 

Crossover

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The best solution it to take a multi layered approach to virus protection, what one program doesn't pick up, another might. Using free program's such as spy not search and destroy, malware bytes, and avast, you can add some layers to your security at no cost.

The trouble is that using more than one AV software could cause conflictions between them and can hog alot of system resources.

Agreed. That said, there is multilayering and there is going insane, as I know someone who used to run 18 AV programs on one PC "just in case". I don't think paranoid covers it and he wondered why his machine was so slow :roll:

To clear the (quite old) 'MetPolice' virus, you need to interrupt startup (F8 or F9?) and select safe mode, then run system restore.

It is F8 ;)
(Had to use it a lot yesterday to try sort out a colleagues own Windows Vista Basic :shock: laptop

I was on my own one day and something similar happened, phone rang Mr XXXXXX your windows pc is sending us error messages and they asked for my computer to be turned on and told them what should I do now the big apple has appeared on the screen nd they hung up. (My pc is actually windows though)

Genius :D

I had a colleague ask me the other week if this was a scam, as his family had received such a call.

I've had the 'Metropolitan Police' virus, fortunately AVG did pick it up, and remove it.

I have also been fortunate (?) to have the same scam 'phone call purporting to be from Microsoft on several occasions over the past month. There are several ways I deal with them:

- Tell them that I have a Mac. Only used if I can't be ar$ed to deal with them.
- Pretend that the caller has called a Police station, and I will 'aside' to "Tom" to set the recorder and to get a trace on the call (Tom is my cat!).
- Act stupid.
- On one occasion, the PC was off when I got one of these calls; I sat there tippy-tapping on the keyboard, as the scammer went through what he wanted me to do... Managed to waste almost half an hour of his time.
- Pretend to be a MS employee, or in IT support. The former usually elicits sheer panic, the second usually results in a hang-up.
- Tell them to "foxtrot-oscar" VERY loudly. Used when I really can't be bothered with them.


THIS is hilarious. I wish I had the acting skills to pull this off...

If you want rid of them, another is to say you don't actually have a PC (heard about someone who got called trying to sell faster broadband, to be told that it was kind of pointless!)

I will bear some of your tricks in mind if I ever get such a call. See how much I can wind them up :P
 

antharro

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Heh. I've had the pleasure of removing this piece of malware on a couple of work machines. It's easy enough.

- Boot up in Safe Mode
- Run MSCONFIG and spot the rogue entry. It usually has a file name similar to qwjiqwegfqweqrfqrg.exe.
- Locate file, delete.
- Remove registry entry that was pointing to it.
- Run antivirus/antimalware scan if required.
- Reboot.

The process described in the link by wintonian is very similar to this, and it definitely works.

I must say it's one of the more convincing pieces of malware out there and had some of my users quite worried! (Guilty consciences, maybe? ;) ).

Chipping in to the Linux conversation - Fedora 17 on a Dell Mini 9 = runs perfect. :)
 

Jonny

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@antharro - on the guilty consciences point, apparently that is how a lot of scams work. From what I've seen on TV (mostly 'The Real Hustle'), the "mark" (the victim) has a guilty conscience, and so pays up to avoid trouble "down the line".
 

antharro

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@Jonny - Yup, you're right. Tho it tends to be the scammers who focus on the guilty consciences, the malware authors tend to go along the lines of "you have 500000000 viruses / have been looking at porn / are being watched by the police / give us your credit card details to fix". Both are preying on the ignorant or gullible.
 
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