Sick With A Nasty Virus

My computer, not me. 

It's one of those things that drive you crazy, computer viruses.  Despite having a very good Internet security program and a solid firewall, there are still nasty people that have nothing better to do than create new ways to wiggle around firewalls and screw up computers, while trying to extort money.  It's another level up from the Nigerian money schemes that we're all familiar with.

I had to laugh when suddenly I got a message from the FBI, the official seal and everything, complete with poor English grammar, saying that I, or someone that used my computer was guilty of one of a list of Internet crimes.  My computer locked on that page and the message further stated that I had to go to one of a list of stores, Walmart, Target, Walgreen's, etc and purchase a 200$ (that's right, not $200) money card (in cash!) and type in the card number in the spaces provided on the letter to pay a fine to the "State".

If I did so, my computer would be unlocked sometime in the next 48 hours.  If I did not, I would face incarceration of anywhere between four and twelve years for being guilty of one of a list if Internet crimes.  The "FBI" demands a money card, not a credit card, because the money card, unlike a credit card is untraceable.

One final interesting touch, the virus turned on my Skype camera and put my ugly face in a little box on the side of the screen.

I couldn't delete the virus page, I did all the normal things, nothing worked.  Looking at my anti-virus security, I found the firewall had been turned off and despite scans and other computer cleaning operations,  I still was looking at incarceration of four to twelve years for one or more of the listed crimes.

Marti (the brains of the R Sanity outfit) took over and had no success either.  A call to tech support gave us a couple of programs to use to remove the virus, again, none of which worked.  After the unsuccessful tries, the tech support has kicked our problem up the chain to the advanced security experts.  We should hear from them in the next 72 hours.  Hopefully we do, because we don't want to have black helicopters and FBI SWAT teams knocking at the Journey's door, to take me off to incarceration for four to twelve years for one or more of the listed crimes.  What would the neighbors in this nice quiet campground think?  The clock is ticking...

So, this post is coming to you from my backup Netbook computer.  It is a handy thing to have around.  It's going to be interesting to see what the advanced security experts come up with.  You have to ask, what is wrong with people who have nothing better to do than devise new ways to mess with people's computers and try and extort money from them.  The sad thing is that it must work with some people who don't know any better that it is a scam.

Just more fun living life on the road!  :c)

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