MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – A new virus posing as an FBI alert is freezing computers and alarming users across the country.
Infected computers display a shocking pop-up that tells owners they have illegal materials on their PC and demands a $200 fine.
The alert states that the fine must be paid with MoneyPak, a way to send cash without a bank account. It threatens criminal action against those who don’t pay within three days.
Computers infected with the FBI MoneyPak malware display a message using the FBI seal and cites several legal documents that read,”Your PC is blocked due to at least one of the reasons specified below.” The reasons include owning/distributing copyrighted material, pornography or malware.
If your computer is infected, the BBB suggests that you do the following:
- Do not pay any money or provide any personal information.
- See Microsoft’s “Security Essentials” and select the “I think my computer is infected” option to contact a support person in your area. (You can also search for computer repair shops at BBB.org.)
- Be aware that even if you are able to unfreeze your computer on your own, the malware might still operate in the background.
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