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PAGING REV. Don Peet

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/25/2011 : 07:39:44

Don - just got an email this morning from you from what appears to be scam website selling electronics wares. Lately this types of hackers have also been able to redirect your email to another location as well...thus my reason for posting here. You might want to investigate.

To everyone else - if you recieved an email from Don about an electronics company in China: I've researched the link and all indications point to scam. If my input is worth anything I'd recommend not purchasing from them.

The funny thing about the email is that it is written very well and you could really see Don sending the message.

dw

D. Wolff
DPO C25 Hull 401
Currently Sailing "Champagne and Ripple" 1982 O'day 30

Chief Measurer 2002-2006
Vice-commodore 2007

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 08:12:10

Don, Looks like you’ve got a little adware problem going on. In case you’re not up on how to kill this stuff, “[url="http://www.malwarebytes.org/"]Malwarebytes[/url]” is a free good adware remover as is “[url="http://www.superantispyware.com/"]Superantispyware[/url]”. Follow the links, Download, install and run a full scan, it’ll take a couple hours at most but should take care of your problems. Sometimes one will catch stuff the other won't so I'll run both.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 08:16:25

I also recommend you do not reply to the e-mail--Don probably can't get it because they may have hijacked his account. Depending on who the account is with, he might never be able to get it back, and it'll be generating spam indefinitely, using his name. (At least that's what has happened to some other people I know.)

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 08:22:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DaveR
 “[url="http://www.malwarebytes.org/"]Malwarebytes[/url]” is a free good adware remover as is “[url="http://www.superantispyware.com/"]Superantispyware[/url]”...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Hmmmm... I've always wondered why adware removers are free. Just access them from somewhere on the Worldwide Web, let them "scan" your computer and do whatever they want in there......... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

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pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 11:15:33

It is unfortunate that Don had created a mailing list with us on it when he was selling cruises. I would guess his entire list has been ... usurped.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 15:15:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Hmmmm... I've always wondered why adware removers are free. Just access them from somewhere on the Worldwide Web, let them "scan" your computer and do whatever they want in there......... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Not sure what you mean and I'd never go to a site and allow it access to my pc. These are stand alone downloadable programs that you install on your computer, free additions that find and remove many types of adware and viruses. There are pay additions too, with more options.

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Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2011 : 19:19:11

Super anti virus ware cleaned out my first Hotmail hijack nicely. The second one, not so much. I had to change accounts and lost all my contacts. Troublesome.

Anyway, hackers/spammers/spyware/nigerians all suck.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2011 : 09:19:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 I also recommend you do not reply to the e-mail--Don probably can't get it because they may have hijacked his account. Depending on who the account is with, he might never be able to get it back, and it'll be generating spam indefinitely, using his name. (At least that's what has happened to some other people I know.)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

In this particular case, the two recommended are ruputable and offer pay options. Superantispyware does have a heavy footprint when running. You also have the option to not forward scan data or alternatively you can also run both while disconnected from the wire if you are concerned.

I get what you are saying though...Reminds me of the apocryphal story about cincinnati microwave inventing the radar and laser detectors prior to outfitting the police radar/laser guns for speeding.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9082 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2011 : 10:13:06

Software does not need to have an active connection in order to cause mischief... For example, it can easily install components that track your keystrokes (bank passwords, etc.) at any time and then relay them somewhere. Sorta the opposite of a radar company giving free radar units to cops and selling radar detectors to the public. I prefer to buy brand-name software through trusted channels. The software that removes my tracking cookies and watches for spyware, etc... came directly from Symantec, and it's not free.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2011 : 10:33:59

You can get guarenteed adware free software from cnet (download.com). These names I've given you are reputable. But if you want to make sure that no-one is phoning home go download your FREE copy of Zone Alarm. Unlike Windows firewall Zone Alarm not only stops incoming stuff it won't allow anything out without your permission. AVAST is a free antivirus that is as good as anything you can buy, and offers the rare boot time scan which is awesome. Jzip is a free zip type program that does as good a job as winzip or other pay programs. In almost every case you can do it as good free. All these companies are trying to get their name out there, not take your bank account number. I do understand your mistrust, my dad taught me a long time ago to believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see, but I've been debugging pc's a long time and trust this stuff.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 01/26/2011 : 18:38:30

Unfortunately, for spyware, there is no "ONE SIZE FITS ALL".

I use MacAfee A/V software with anti-spyware, plus Malwarebytes - which is very effective, and Windows Defender which is complete lightweight. Others are fine, if downloaded from a valid site like C/Net. Invariably, one anti-spy program will find a bug when the other two will not.

I will only download freeware from C/Net or known authentic sites like Windows, Applecare, Adobe, Symantec or McAfee.

Ad-aware from LavaSoft is itself spyware (as Dave is alleging), and I have eliminated it from my suite of tools.

Keystroke-trackers are very common Trojans, and are hard to get rid of.

Recently, the FBI along with Interpol, busted an international computer theft ring stealing bank account passwords from MILLIONS of North Americans who were none-the-wiser until after the fact.

That is why I regularly scan (twice a week) and keep active bug detection on.

If you look at the FBI's crime reporting website, you can search for it this incident. The conspirators used a common trojan that came in on an "empty" spam email (you didn't even have to click on a link, just open the note) and your bank data was henceforth compromised.

Cybercrime is vastly underestimated and underreported, most likely because law enforcement is largely "outgunned" and outsmarted by the bad guys. They are not proud of their track records.

It is not uncommon that former hackers are retained by security companies and law enforcement agencies, however their efforts are usually too little, too late.

Basically, you're on your own.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2011 : 07:24:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Ad-aware from LavaSoft is itself spyware (as Dave is alleging), and I have eliminated it from my suite of tools. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Although it has produced some false positives with me and I don't use it [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-4K4VZo8l0"]cnet would disagree[/url]

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2011 : 07:28:22

I recently went to a training program one of our CPA firms here sponsored in which the speaker was an FBI agent who spends his time going after cybernet criminals. One of his recommendations for protecting your bank accounts was to buy an inexpensive netbook and restrict your online banking activities to only that device, and don't do any other online activities with that device such as email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
You could probably also dedicate an older, thoroughly cleaned up computer.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5408 Posts

Response Posted - 01/27/2011 : 20:51:57

That's a great idea if you want to buy an extra computer. It's also important to take your regular PC off your home network at that time.

Another approach is to create a CD version of Linux, then boot your computer from the CD. Use Firefox or another browser on Linux and viruses will be unable to write any spyware or trojans to the CD.

Then use the CD only for online banking. Will keep your accts clean.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/28/2011 : 08:57:57

Great advice. Home networks are an easy entrance if they're not done right, and usually they aren't.

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Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2011 : 06:55:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I use MacAfee A/V software with anti-spyware, plus Malwarebytes - which is very effective, and Windows Defender which is complete lightweight. Others are fine, if downloaded from a valid site like C/Net. Invariably, one anti-spy program will find a bug when the other two will not.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

This is exactly what they have on my work laptop. I can boot it up and then take a shower and it might be ready to go after I get done taking a shower.
ubuntu on the personal laptop.

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DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 01/30/2011 : 14:59:15

Strange that Don has not weighed in. I just hope he's off in some warm part of the world.

Also strange (to me) that I was shopping that evening after his post and was considering the same product. I bought some accessories, which generated an email receipt, and I assumed there was some connection.

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