Windows Moneypak Virus

[Georgetoon]

Yesterday, my neighbor called because he had a problem with his Windows computer.  He's retired and still a bit unfamiliar with Windows, the internet, etc.  He's got an HP computer running Windows Vista. he's had it awhile, but does't use it everyday.

Anyhow, his system was infected with  the F.B.I. Moneypak virus.  This virus locks the user out of their system in an attempt to extort money from them.  A screen comes up with an F.B.I. logo saying that the user is in violation of copyright laws and needs to pay a $200 fine in order to unlock the system.  It looks pretty darn convincing, but is a virus for sure.

One way to get rid of this virus is to roll back the system to a previous restore point.  This is what I did and he's back up and running.

He's so frustrated with these problems. I've offered to put Linux on the system, but he's reluctant due to commercial software he likes to run.  I think he's going to simply buy a Mac.  His friend has one and raves about it. 

If he does buy a Mac, I just may offer him a few bucks for his HP system and install PCLinuxOS.  Not sure he's gong to part with the 25" flat panel, though. 

If he does go with a Mac and decides to sell tower and monitor, I figure $300.00 should cover everything.

Then again, since he's retired, he just may hang on to what he has.

[DeBaas]

Don't you have a retired old XP system renewed with a full blown PCLinuxOS KDE or LXDE to show off ?
The only thing they do is Internet, Mail, Youtube, Face, Twit, and so on.
This is also possible wih our OS.
Nice wallpaper and you win

Next Virus and you tell him you have to rebuild his machine with Vista install, taking 2 days to restore.
PCLinuxOS takes 2 hours max , 20 minutes for a base install, 30 minutes for dual boot.

Good luck
Ed

[T6]

300 for a old monitor and a hp pc with vista?

free is expensive on this case, and i say this because if it has vista is older than 3 years and being hp, i wouldn't bother using it knowing that hp uses cheap parts that won't last longer

also, let him know that in mac there is security concerns with some apps too, also some malware if i remember correctly

[aguila]

If he buys a Mac, none of his commercial software will run either.

If that software is not using external ports (USB for example), he might be able to use it through Wine. Some sftware runs better in Wine than in Windows Else , there's still Virtualbox for that (might want to buy some RAM to use Vista in Virtualbox).

He could dual boot with Linux for a while before taking any decision. But then he should never use Windows for surfing the net, just like you do. He'll be hooked on Linux in no time

If you want his stuff, well talk him into a MAC

[Tony]

I had a similar situation with a "stand over tactic virus", but it was a phone call to my 79 year old Mother, who had no idea that; you just hang up, very quickly ! He asked for her credit card details, and said,"Or I'll destroy your Operating System."
Anyway she did what the guy said, unfortuneatly, except give him her credit card details. The guy totally wiped Windows off of there; I looked with a pclos Live CD, there were some pictures and a few odd files. I believe she allowed the guy to take remote control of the machine through a site.

Anyway I reinstalled XP, but had problems getting the router talking wirelessly to Comp in another room.
In the end got here a new (old - cheap)  comp, with Win 7, and being more recent the setting up of Router/Modem in another room to Comp was immediate.

Was a huge scam, the guy rang me weekly for a year before it was finally shut down by Aus. Federal Police about a month ago. Wasn't same guy, obviously, but was based in India, and being a phone call, "This is Microsoft, please go to your computer and do as I instruct you..."

I want that HP Comp, it has a bit of grunt and a big HDD, or I'll pilfer some parts out of it and make one of my other home Computers 'better', lol. With PCLinuxOS installed of course.

The Anti-Virus Software takes at least 25% of the operating power out of the Hardware on all Windows machines I believe, especially as they're getting more bulky and complex. kaspersky; you just about need to do a course to know how to set it these days. 

[Georgetoon]

Guys, thanks for the input.

Three years old?  Hmm...300 bucks is too generous.  Well, it depends on how infected it gets again.  Really, seriously, next time, if I can't recover the system, the only way to do it is install PCLinuxOS. He lost his Vista disk, so re-installing the Windows OS is not an option.  If it comes to that, I may miss out on a system, but he'll end up getting a new PCLinuxOS one.

Still, I'm betting he'l buy that Mac.

BTW, Tony, that sort of cyber crime is scary!

[Crow]

I'm with Aguila a PCLOS install and Wine plus Windows in VB to run the programs he is used to in Win.

I would install some options in Linux (if that is possible) so he makes the transition gradually, there are some programs which doesn't have equivalent but not many.

[jaydot]

i find myself feeling sympathy for your neighbour, georgetoon.  some of the people i've looked after (or, rather, their systems) were also retired and they would complain of having to learn a set of procedures in order to accomplish what was otherwise a simple task.  they will, for example, hand write letters instead of using a wordprocessor and sending the result to a printer.  it's so much simpler to grab a piece of paper and a pen.

because they're older, they tire more easily and their concentration levels fall off, especially if they have health problems to go with their increasing decrepitude.  they require as much, if not more, patience than toddlers sometimes.

this is why, when one of my 'oldsters' went away for the weekend, i pre-emptively installed pclinuxos as i was sick to the back teeth of him trying to get to grips with the ghastly 'me' (which i hardly knew) and fiddling with a system he doesn't understand.  click-happy they get in their dodderance.  he's still click happy and fiddles with the system, but i know how to fix that.

it probably explains why your neighbour is considering apple without knowing a thing about it.  in one ear he's getting sensible advice from you and in the other, propoganda from a fanboy.  stop feeding him sensible advice and install pclinuxos stat.

ask if you can borrow the install disks of his proprietary software and see if you can get it to work in wine, or a virtual machine.  i've done that a couple of times and then i can, with confidence, assert that linux will do the job for them and they can still use their software.

keep us posted on progress.

[aguila]

I did exactly as jaydot suggests on the box I gave my parents. No commercial win software here though.

Enabled auto-login, and set Firefox and Thunderbird to autostart. They are so happy, never before was their computer so easy to use and trouble-free.

You may install dual boot but remove Win from GRUB menu or rename it "Virus Infection". That'll always remind him Well, sorry, but as jaydot says just like toddlers elder people have their trouble with decisions and are happy if others take the decision for them. So if he trusts you, just say: I'll do the work for you and set it up in a.way you won't have problems using it your way.

Then do it. He'll thank you later.

[Crow]

Stop the bad rap on elders you young fellows     

I will teach you who is the toddler.... as soon as I change my diapers    I'll return soon

 

[aguila]

No offending anyone, especially not our senior forum members, many of whom jumped in cold (Linux) water at a very high age. 

I'm just speaking from my own experience with people I know a live with. It will not apply to everybody, but it seems to apply to many people. I'll find out a give you feedback in 25 years or so....

[T6]

who offended who?

in what manner?

almost everyone here is a senior

i feel like one and can't see the offense

[aguila]

who offended who?

in what manner?

almost everyone here is a senior

i feel like one and can't see the offense

If I'm right about your age, there are quite some people here that are older than you and me together

I admire them and have lots of respect for them. On the other hand I see how old people in my vicinity reduce their action radius and number of decisions per year.

Wait - we're going off-track....

[T6]

"If I'm right about your age, there are quite some people here that are older than you and me together"

you know what they say, young at heart and in my heart i'm like 80 more or less 

i am crankier than most people i know, including people of this forum

about the virus, what does the fbi has to say about such scam?

[Wildman]

who offended who?

in what manner?

almost everyone here is a senior

i feel like one and can't see the offense

If I'm right about your age, there are quite some people here that are older than you and me together

I admire them and have lots of respect for them. On the other hand I see how old people in my vicinity reduce their action radius and number of decisions per year.

Wait - we're going off-track....

Track    What track, I didn't hear or see a train!......Oh,,,,,,, my glasses, and hearing aids.....