Pentony Loc: Earth Traveller

WARNING: Last night my Windows 7 laptop was hijacked. Yes I have anti-virus and malware software running.

The scammer wants me to send them $300.00 to pay supposedly a fine to get my laptop released. If I don't send them the money within 72 hours, I'll be arrested (lol).

Once I send the money it will be 72 hours before they release my laptop. That gives them time to cash my money and get away.

Their site looked very official and very menacing trying to look like an official FBI site as well as supposedly my states' police department.

They have my location, my full name, my IP address as well as my laptop manufacturer and model number, and disconnected my laptop from my home network.

Am unable to start laptop in safe mode with networking to get to an online technician. As crooks, they are good.

So have to take it into a local technician. I may take it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy where the laptop was purchased.

I had already been warned about such scamming attempts. Just wish I could locate them and have them shut down and prosecuted.

Once I get my laptop un-hijacked will changed my IP address and location.

I share this with you as a warning. DON'T PAY THE ALLEGED FINE. Once they have your IP address they can hijack you again.

Ambrose Loc: North America

FYI: Anyone can acquire this information when you visit their site.


You don't have to take it to a technician. There are plenty of sites available that have instruction on how to get out of your predicament. Example:
http://botcrawl.com/how-to-remove-the-fbi-moneypak-ransomware-virus-fake-fbi-malware-removal/

Good luck...and be careful out there.....

Pentony Loc: Earth Traveller

Thanks Ambrose. I briefly looked at your site recommendations. I see that I have a lot of investigating.

My laptop won't turn on to be able to down load.

I wonder if I can down load anti-malware on a DVD or on my clean unused external hard drive, using another computer then inserting it into the laptop?

I'm in no hurry. Just don't want to lose my photos which are still on my SD cards and more important my documents.

The trick now is to get the laptop turned on.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

I don't want to sound like the doomsday devil, but the version of the FBI virus you have is a doosy. Really nasty. Hard to get rid of. It disables nearly every avenue of recovery. There is a possibility if you had more than one logon for your computer. You might be able to logon as one of the secondary users and, if the computer will boot up, you might be able to recover to a restore point before the virus hit. If no secondary logon, you are in for a long tough recovery. I was able to recover from the FBI virus on my big tower computer using my secondary logon. However, a friend of mine got this same virus on her tower computer and we ended up removing the hard drive and putting it on an external hard drive docking station to go in and clean up the windows registry and more. Thankfully a neighbor of hers worked for AT&T and was an expert at doing just this kind of work. He managed to save all her files for her and got the machine back up. The FBI moneypack virus is nothing any amateur computer user will be able to reckon with. Please don't think that I said you are an amateur. You may be a highly skilled information technology master. What I am trying to say is that this virus is a very nasty customer and tough to remove. If I were you I would get some really good professional help. Whatever you do, do NOT send these crooks any money. Good luck and I hope everything turns out good for you.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

The site link will lead to a very good procedure which may or may not work for you.

Pentony Loc: Earth Traveller

Being referred to as "possibly" an amateur in no way affects my ego. I know my technical limitations.

Your comments are most appreciated. They are my exact concerns. My secondary log on also has been compromised.

I suspected that it will be tough to remove even tougher because it is on a laptop with a non-removable hard drive. However still not impossible to be removed.

I have my photos backed up else where but I may lose my documents.

AND I have no intentions of paying. Any more ideas, suggestions or thoughts from anyone? I'm in no hurry.

Ambrose Loc: North America

I didn't realize this scam could get quite this nasty. If it has compromised both logins.....oh my. Pixbyjnphotos is probably right - forget what I said and seek professional help.
(I'm sad to hear that virus is still out there. And now it sounds like it's actually getting worse)

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

I didn't know that was you doc ..... I'll reduce the ransom to $100 ..... just send it to the Wabbit

wrr Loc: SEK

sorry to hear of your misfortune but curious what kind of a laptop is it? Wasn't aware of laptops with non-removable drives...

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Disconnect from the internet, get in safe mode and re-install the operating system. That will wipe out absolutely everything they put on your computer, including files that breach your security. Then re-install your programs. Don't connect to the internet again until you have a secure firewall up and running.

Definitely don't send them money. Most likely, they have neither the means nor interest to wipe out their malware running on your system. They just want to collect and run.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Sorry to say this but, this particular version of the FBI virus disables the ability to go to SAFE mode. It is nasty.

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I don't know how much tech time will cost to remove this virus, which is a good reason to back up everything often. It could be the cheapest way to restore your computer would be to replace the hard drive and restore Windows.

wrr Loc: SEK

he says it has a non-removable hard drive...I asked what kind of laptop but he hasn't answered yet...never heard of a laptop like that.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

I agree. I am anxious to find out what kind of laptop this is as well.

Pentony Loc: Earth Traveller

I'm happy to report that one of my grandsons was able to delete the virus and reset my laptop to an earlier date without the lost of Word documents or pictures and only the lost of one EXCEL file. That file will be reproduced from a save hard copy.

Unfortunately I didn't ask him to save which set of bookmarks. I had bookmarks under Internet Explorer and another set under Fire Fox. He chose to save the older ones under Internet Explorer. No big deal for I can research the ones I wanted under Fire Fox. Most of them were photographic in content gleamed from you guys on UHH.

The important thing is that I have my laptop back. I have started using my external hard drive which I had already purchased prior to this virus thing but never got around to using.

My grandson also installed a better anti-virus program. I happily paid hm handsomely for his service. He refused but I insisted.

Later I took him out to diner at an exclusive restaurant and got to hear him talk about his life, his concerns as a young man who is just about to turn 21 and his future plans. I listen. He talked.

He has plans to update me technically. He sees me as his grand dad. He doesn't see me the Physics major, electronics engineer, Naval Flight Officer and mathematics teacher. I smiled privately to myself. However, we can learned a lot for young folks. I'm looking forward to it.

Also thanks to all you UHH folks for your inputs.