Malware removal assistance

[hankering]

Two of my neighbors have had this same kind of problem, and have paid local computer assistance sites a lot of money to "fix" it for them.

 

They get the popup, it looks like a legitimate Malwarebytes reminder, but no place to enter codes.

 

One neighbor "paid a tech support group in India for an hour's work" to fix that.

The other neighbor thinks their (local) computer installer may have installed a legitimate copy of Malwarebytes Pro, but failed to give them the registration/password information and failed to tell them that it's installed -- but is not able to check til Monday as it's the holiday.

 

The second neighbor (initials A.L.) has left email for your Support address asking how to tell if they have a legitimate copy of Malwarebytes Pro.

Their "About" screen looks legitimate to me, it says they bought it in August, I think, and they did have the local company service their Windows 7 machine in August.

 

But -- they aren't sure.

 

I hope your Support people can identify their email -- as of an hour or so ago -- and help them figure out if they have a clever fake or the real Malwarebytes.

 

If it's real Malwarebytes -- there's some problem with getting the thing recognized.

 

I don't know what the resolution for either neighbor was -- but either something is wrong with how the legitimate Malwarebytes popups appear, or there is something that is faking Malwarebytes screens.

[daledoc1]

Hello and , hankering:

 

Sorry to hear you are having issues.
Each computer is unique.
Problems that sound "the same" most often are not.
The same is true for solutions.
They most often need to be individualized.

 

This (rather complicated) thread was started by solarblast.

And your neighbors' problems sound quite different -- they may have been a victim of a scam that has nothing to do with Malwarebytes.

It is less confusing for everyone if we try to stick to "one user per topic".
Please start a NEW, SEPARATE forum topic using this clickable button.

 

Even better: please ask your neighbors to create their own account here at the forum, and ask them to start their own new, separate forum topics.
The staff, helpers and experts will be able to more easily provide both your neighbors and the OP with individual, direct help to get them up and running.

Thanks for your patience and understanding,

[daledoc1]

Hi, again:

 

The mod team has split off your post to its own topic. (Thank you!)

 

It does sound as if your neighbors may have been the victim of a scam.

It's possible their computers are infected.

There is no way to tell for sure without more information, such as diagnostic logs.

 

We cannot work on malware-related issues here in this particular section of the forum.

Moreover, it's very complicated and confusing for someone else to try to resolve malware problems "second-hand", without physical control of the computer (though it is very kind of you to help).

The complexity of finding, preventing, and cleanup from malware

 

So, I would suggest the following:

1. Please ask each neighbor with an affected system to create his/her own account here at the forum.
2. Then, please ask each one to start by following the advice in this pinned topic: Available Assistance for Possibly Infected Computers
   1. The pinned topic explains options for free, expert help >>>AND<<< the preliminary steps/scans to expedite the process.

A trained malware expert will assist them with checking their systems for malware, and with cleanup and repair.

 

Thank you,