Virtually every computer we check-in at Gakidoo’s Computer Repair is infected these days. And even some of the hardware problems we see such as bad hard drives can be indirectly attributed to these infections. The most common type of infection on the rise are the “Fake AntiVirus Programs”. They look very professional and usually report various issues with your computer such as registry errors, trojans, and spyware infections which they claim their software can repair for you if you click on their call to action button where you will be asked to shell out your credit card for $59-$89 dollars of your hard earned money. The trouble is that the problem will only get worse and they will have your money to boot. Some people still are not even aware that the antivirus program they just purchased is fake until the problem gets so bad that they finally call us for help at our famous (808-676-1900) number in Waipahu. Fortunately for some, they were able to get a refund. But sometimes by then, the damage is already done. The fact is that putting off getting your computer repaired with these type of infections is almost futile. The longer you wait to have your computer repaired, the more serious the problem becomes. I have yet to meet a non-tech type that has the training and software tools necessary to clean these types of infections. But as we have recommended before, if you switch to the ESET NOD32 AntiVirus system and keep your subscription up to date, you might be able to avoid infection in the first place. A perfect compliment to Nod32 is an Active AntiSpyware product called SUPERAntiSpyware Professional. Both have free trials to get you started. Just beware if you see a program running on your computer that looks like this one below. It may go by a different name or have a slightly different look, but if it just won’t go away, it is probably fake!
Fake AntiVirus Program
Click on the play button below to listen to an interesting interview between Matt Grant and Randy Abrams (ESET’s director of technical education) about how Fake AntiVirus Products Generate $34 Million a Month!
Fake Anti-Virus Products Generate $34 Million a Month!
Getting back to the complications that putting off a repair can lead to: The usual scenario is that the computer will get slower and slower, with errors and pop-ups, until the point that the computer eventually freezes. You have no choice but to shut the power-off because the keyboard and mouse will not respond so you can shut-down properly. While you have no choice but to shut the power off, it is a “bad shutdown” nevertheless. Bad shutdowns can also happen from power outages. Either way, they can lead to hard drive errors, Windows corruption, data loss, and eventually permanent damage to your hard drive, adding another $100 dollars or so to your repair bill.
If you find yourself with a computer that is freezing, and you realize that you have to shutdown or restart your computer, try using the reset button if your computer has one to restart your computer (not all computer cases have a reset button). Otherwise press and hold your power button for 4-5 seconds until the power shuts down. If you already know you are in over your head, leave your computer off and bring it to a professional. If you continue trying to use the computer and it keeps freezing, and you just keep shutting it down, you are eventually going to harm your hard drive. About 20% of these infected computers that come in need new hard drives. It is the same story over and over again and much of it could have been prevented, but we do appreciate your business! Actually, we would like to help people overcome this spyware/virus problem and change our business model to helping people learn new ways to get the most out of their computer. It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself “computer illiterate” or not. Most people know more than they think anyway and it is just a matter of time before you are teaching others what you have learned and mastered.
