48 hours to pay the fine

[harvy]

hello all

 

My desctop PC has been locked by a virus that says i have 48 hours to pay the fine.

It also says that if I try to unlock it myself my computer will be formated. Is that true? I really don't want to loose any of my documents and files.

What should I do? How do I remove it without paying or formating my computer?

All help is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[CaptainPanic]

Do not pay.

 

Use the computer you are on right now to Google - someone else will have the same virus, and they will be able to tell you how to get rid of it.

If you copy exactly (part of) the message you get that tells you to pay the fine, then you'll find some information. Put the message between "" to make Google search for exactly that phrase.

 

Worst case: bring it to a computer doctor (i.e. some company in your local area that takes care of computers... may be just the local electronics hardware store).

[StringJunky]

Don't pay anything.

 

Join up with this site and ask your question in the Security section called: Am I infected? What Do I Do?

 

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/

 

They will guide you in it's removal.

 

Hope you get sorted.

 

For your future peace of mind after you get sorted I strongly recommend you buy an external hard drive and put your personal files on that...you should never keep personal stuff on the same drive/partition as your operating system..

Edited March 22, 2013 by StringJunky

[harvy]

Thank you both, you are really kind.

 

I did as you said and googled some key words from the warning.

Here is what i managed to find as informative and helpful http://www.americanpendulum.com/en/2013/02/26/you-have-48-hours-to-pay-the-fine-virus/

Also after i read there are all kinds of simillar infections (including all ukash viruses) with just a different name i visited this page, as suggested, for help http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/482031/fbi-virus-unlocking-your-pc-without-any-safe-mode/?hl=%2Bukash+%2Bvirus#entry3005935

 

It seems i'll have to start my computer in safe mode with networking and then download and install an antivirus tool to scan my pc. I will give it a try.

Thank you again for helping

[John Cuthber]

Just a thought.

If you don't pay the "fine" then you stand to lose your computer.

If you do then you hand all your payment details to a bunch of criminals, in which case you stand to lose your computer* and also the contents of your bank accounts(s).

 

* Unless these crooks are kind enough to keep to their word: does that seem likely?

[LaurieAG]

I cleared this type of ukash virus from a friends computer a couple of months ago.

The process was very simple and I managed to remove it first go on Windows XP by using the following steps.

Step 1: On boot press Alt+Ctrl+Del multiple times until the option to open the Task Manager comes up.

Step 2: Click on Task Manager and open up the Processes tab.

Step 3: Click on the process with the highest CPU activity and click End Process at the bottom right.

Step 4: Delete the virus when asked by the Microsoft software.

[studiot]

There are many variations to ransomware and many methods of disinfection; no method is universal.

For example the cloaking virus may be unstoppable by Task Manager. the mal-process 'BrowserProtect.exe' is an example.

 

Another good place to get free help is

 

www.majotgeeks.com

[Externet]

Did that yesterday. The "FBI" virus.

 

I have two removable hard drives for my compfuser. Linux, and Vista. The Vista of course got it, and as I never use it, has been dormant-infected on a shelf for months, until I decided to fix it, after unsuccessful attempts trying my knowledge and lots of head scratching,

 

Went to the public library, and did all this there:

downloaded this .zip: ----> http://www.hirensbootcd.org/download/

Extracted all;

Clicked on an icon that launches the .iso maker,

and made an .iso CD loaded with Hiren's 15.2 boot CD .ISO

 

Back home, inserted on the CD drive, and flipped on to boot from it.

- Loaded "Mini XP" from the menu,

- Chose to run "Malwarebytes" in both scan options,

It is gone.

 

Good luck, come back with findings/results.

 

Edited...OH boy... this thread is months old but should work for someone, sometime...

Edited July 19, 2013 by Externet