The Cleona Borough Police Department has received several complaints from residents reporting their home computer screen has been locked with a message and fine purportedly from the FBI. The FBI has issued warnings that this is a computer virus known as Reveton ransomware, which is designed to extort money from its victims.
The bogus message goes on to say that the user’s Internet address was identified by the FBI or the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section as having been associated with child pornography sites or other illegal online activity. To unlock their machines, users are required to pay a fine using a prepaid money card service.
The virus is described as drive-by malware because unlike many viruses which activate when users open a file or attachment this one can install itself when users simply click on a compromised website. Once infected, the victim’s computer immediately locks, and the monitor displays a screen stating there has been a violation of federal law.
If your computer becomes infected here is what you should do:
• Do not pay any money or provide any personal information.
• Contact a computer professional to remove the virus or malware from your computer.
• Be aware that even if you are able to unfreeze your computer on your own, the malware may still operate in the background. Certain types of malware have been known to capture personal information such as user names, passwords, and credit card numbers through embedded keystroke logging programs.
For more information go to:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/august/new-internet-scam
